Central African Republic 2025 Election Tests Touadéra’s Grip

Monday 29th December 2025

By inAfrika Newsroom

Central African Republic 2025 election voting continued on Monday amid tight security, a fragmented opposition and strong expectations that President Faustin-Archange Touadéra will win a third term. The poll follows a 2023 referendum that scrapped presidential term limits, drawing criticism from rights groups and some regional actors.

Roughly 2.3 million people were registered to vote at more than 6,700 polling stations across the country. They are choosing a president as well as legislative, regional and municipal representatives in a single electoral cycle.

Touadéra, in power since 2016, faces six challengers, including former prime ministers Anicet-Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. Yet his control over state institutions, combined with backing from Russian forces and Rwandan troops, has left much of the opposition complaining of an uneven playing field. Some parties called for a boycott

The vote is taking place in a country still emerging from years of conflict since a 2013 coup. A 2019 peace deal reduced large-scale fighting but did not fully disarm armed groups. International observers reported a calmer atmosphere than during the 2020 polls, although they also flagged logistical delays and patchy turnout in some remote areas.

Russia’s role looms large. Moscow’s shift from Wagner mercenaries to the state-run “Africa Corps” has kept Russian fighters embedded with CAR forces, in exchange for access to gold, diamonds, lithium and uranium. Western governments say the election outcome will influence how far that partnership deepens.

Next steps for Central African Republic 2025 election

The electoral commission is expected to release provisional presidential results by January 5. If no candidate passes 50 percent, a runoff will be held, likely in February.

Meanwhile, UN peacekeepers under MINUSCA and regional diplomats are preparing for possible disputes over the count. They are urging candidates to channel any complaints through legal avenues rather than the streets.

Why it matters

The Central African Republic 2025 election will shape security, mining deals and foreign alignments in one of Africa’s most fragile states. A Touadéra victory could entrench Russia’s footprint and test Western efforts to promote governance reforms.

For citizens, the stakes are basic: safety, schools, clinics and roads after a decade of conflict. Whether this vote moves the country closer to inclusive institutions, or locks in a narrowed political space, will be watched across the Sahel and Great Lakes regions.