Clarion Newschannel – December 28, 2025
Voters in two African nations – the Central African Republic (CAR) and Guinea – head to the polls today in presidential elections widely seen as opportunities for incumbents to consolidate power amid significant criticism over fairness and democratic backsliding.
In the Central African Republic, general elections are underway, combining presidential, legislative, regional, and municipal votes – the latter not held in nearly four decades. Incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, in office since 2016, is seeking a third term after a 2023 constitutional referendum removed presidential term limits and extended terms to seven years. Touadéra faces six opposition candidates, including former prime ministers Anicet-Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra, whose candidacies were initially challenged but later approved by the Constitutional Court.
Touadéra has campaigned on improved security, citing recent peace deals with rebel groups and support from Russian mercenaries (formerly Wagner Group) and Rwandan forces. However, Human Rights Watch and opposition groups have raised concerns about electoral irregularities, repression of opponents, incomplete voter lists, and a fragile security situation, with parts of the country still affected by armed groups. A major opposition coalition has boycotted the vote, alleging an uneven playing field. Approximately 2.3 million registered voters are eligible, with campaigning having started on December 13.
Meanwhile, in Guinea, citizens are voting in the country’s first presidential election since a 2021 military coup. Transitional leader and junta head Mamady Doumbouya, who ousted former President Alpha Condé, is running for a full term and is considered the clear frontrunner. A September 2025 referendum approved a new constitution that removed restrictions barring junta members from contesting elections and extended presidential terms to seven years.
Doumbouya faces eight lesser-known challengers in a fragmented field, with prominent opposition figures – including exiled former leaders – sidelined or disqualified. Critics, including opposition coalitions, have accused him of betraying earlier pledges not to run and consolidating military influence. Doumbouya has highlighted economic achievements, such as advancing the massive Simandou iron ore project and resource nationalism in the mining sector. The campaign has been described as peaceful but unequal, with reports of media restrictions.
Both elections mark critical moments for democratic transitions in nations with histories of instability, as international observers monitor for credibility and potential post-vote unrest. Provisional results in CAR are expected by early January, while Guinea’s outcome could further entrench Doumbouya’s rule.
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