Counting began on Monday evening in Chad for a presidential election aimed at ending three years of military rule but has unfolded into an unprecedented showdown between General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, leader of the junta, and his Prime Minister Succès Masra, a former adversary turned ally.
Reflecting on the atmosphere, voter Fougap Kayap Sougou remarked, “Comparing it to previous elections, I sense a desire for change this year. Many people have turned out to vote, and there is a significant presence at the polling stations.”
The ballot featured 10 candidates, including one woman. Chad, with over 8 million registered voters in a population of more than 17 million, remains one of the world’s poorest nations.
However, some observers faced accreditation challenges, with the Citizens’ Alliance for Elections, a monitoring platform, stating in a Sunday statement that refusals occurred without explanation.