Chad/Senate elections: President Mahamat’s MPS party largely in the lead

On Tuesday, February 25, Chad’s municipal and provincial councilors cast their votes to elect members of the Senate. According to provisional results announced by the National Election Agency (ANGE), the ruling party, the Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), secured a sweeping victory, winning 45 out of the 46 available seats.

The only opposition seat was claimed by the Rally of National Democrats of Chad – The Awakening (RTDN-Le Réveil), led by Albert Pahimi, in the Mayo Kebbi Ouest province.

However, the final results await validation by the Constitutional Council. Notably, the election was marked by the absence of key opposition groups, including Les Transformateurs, the party of former Prime Minister Succès Masra, and the Political Actors’ Consultation Group (GCAP), both of which chose to boycott not only the senatorial race but also the legislative and provincial elections.

At 40 years old, President Mahamat Idriss Déby, who was re-elected in May 2024 with 61% of the vote, emerges from this process with a significantly strengthened political position.

His party, the MPS, now holds 124 out of 188 seats in the National Assembly, further solidifying its dominance in Chad’s political landscape.

Additionally, 23 senators will be appointed by the president to represent autonomous local entities, each serving a six-year term.

The establishment of the Senate marks the conclusion of Chad’s two-year political transition, ushering in a new phase in the country’s governance structure.

Cédric KABORE