As the presidential election in Chad approaches, set to take place in two months, the Constitutional Council has opened the floor for candidacy submissions at its registry, starting Wednesday, March 6th, until March 15th. The list of candidates will be announced on March 24th.
The Coalition for a United Chad is expected to submit the candidacy dossier of Mahamat Idriss Déby as early as Wednesday. However, the transitional leader must still take a leave of absence from the military to meet eligibility requirements.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Succès Masra will soon address the urgent appeals from his supporters. Former Prime Minister Albert Pahimi Padacké also seeks a resolution within his party regarding the decision between boycotting or running for candidacy.
Among other political leaders, Brice Mbaïmon, leader of the “no” campaign in the referendum, will make a swift announcement. Currently, the only publicly declared candidate is Abdelkrim Djibril from the modest Revolutionary Movement for Democracy and Peace (MRDP).
Balthazar Alladoum Djarma, who was present in 2021, and Théophile Bongoro are expected to follow suit. However, the latter two may request a postponement of the process due to the “tense” atmosphere and ongoing strikes hindering the compilation of candidacy documents, according to Théophile Bongoro.
The commencement of the candidacy submission period marks a critical phase in Chad’s electoral process, signaling the beginning of a significant political journey leading up to the presidential election. Amidst deliberations and uncertainties, the political landscape in Chad continues to evolve, shaping the country’s future trajectory.