Yaounde: Cameroon’s veteran leader, Paul Biya, has won a controversial eighth term in office, extending his more than four-decade rule after an election overshadowed by unrest, opposition disputes, and allegations of vote-rigging.
The Constitutional Council announced that Biya, 92, won 53.66 percent of the vote, defeating his main challenger and former ally, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who garnered 35.19 percent. The outcome grants Biya another seven-year term, potentially keeping him in power until the age of 99.
Tchiroma, who previously served as a government spokesperson and employment minister, has rejected the official tally, maintaining that he was the rightful winner. Last week, he vowed not to recognise any result other than his own declared victory.
In Yaounde, the capital, streets were mostly deserted, with many shops shuttered and a heavy deployment of anti-riot police. Sporadic protests erupted across several towns as opposition supporters clashed with security forces.
Biya, the world’s oldest serving head of state, said that he was deeply touched by the continued trust of the Cameroonian people and expressed sorrow over the post-election violence.
Au moment où le peuple souverain vient de m’accorder une fois de plus sa confiance pour un nouveau mandat, mes premières pensées vont à tous ceux qui ont inutilement perdu leurs vies, ainsi qu’à leurs familles, du fait des violences post-électorales.#Biya2025#PaulBiya#Cameroun pic.twitter.com/I3W8moehHs
— President Paul BIYA (@PR_Paul_BIYA) October 27, 2025
In Douala, Cameroon’s commercial hub, police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who set up barricades, burned tires, and hurled debris onto the streets. Protesters, their faces covered with masks or clothing, chanted in support of Tchiroma, accusing the government of manipulating the vote. Observers fear the result could inflame tensions in a nation already grappling with political divisions and security challenges. “
Biya first took office in 1982 and has since maintained a tight grip on power. He removed presidential term limits in 2008, paving the way for successive re-elections. His leadership has been marked by stability for some and authoritarian control for others, with opposition figures and civil society frequently complaining of political repression.
Announcing the results, Clement Atangana, president of the Constitutional Council, declared that, “Hereby declared elected President of the Republic, having obtained the majority of the votes cast, the candidate, Biya, Paul.”
