Chad’s 15 opposition parties to boycott Dec. 29 elections

Around 15 opposition parties in Chad are planning to boycott the upcoming legislative, provincial, and municipal elections. They have criticized the electoral register as “corrupt” and expressed concerns about the lack of assurances for free and fair elections.

The elections are set for December 29, with candidates able to submit their nominations from October 19 to 28.

On October 13, the opposition parties, which have not participated in the transitional government and do not hold any seats, urged Chadians to implement an “electoral blockade.” The party led by former Prime Minister Succès Masra has not yet clarified its stance.

These elections follow the recent establishment of a new organic law outlining the structure of the new Parliament. The last parliamentary elections took place in 2011, and a new assembly was supposed to be elected in 2015, but the election was delayed several times due to the jihadist threat, the COVID pandemic, and the transition after the death of former President Idriss Déby in 2021.