CAMEROON’S 92-YEAR-OLD PRESIDENT PAUL BIYA WINS EIGHTH TERM AMID CONTROVERSY AND PROTESTS
Paul Biya, the 92-year-old President of Cameroon, has won re-election for an unprecedented eighth term.
The official announcement was made on October 27, 2025, by the Constitutional Council, declaring Biya the winner with 53.66% of the votes cast in the election held on October 12, 2025 defeating main challenger Issa Tchiroma Bakary, who finished with 35.2%.
“Hereby proclaimed president-elect: the candidate Biya Paul,” said Clement Atangana, president of the Constitutional Council.
Biya, who has been in power since 1982, is the world’s oldest head of state and the longest-serving non-royal national leader.
This year, Issa Tchiroma Bakary a former government spokesperson and employment minister in his late 70s emerged as President Biya’s most formidable challenger.
After breaking away from Biya earlier in the year, Tchiroma launched a spirited campaign that attracted large crowds and gained support from a coalition of opposition parties and civil society groups.
His re-election has sparked protests and violence, resulting in at least four deaths during opposition demonstrations at their capital Douala calling for election transparency.
Despite opposition challenges, including claims of irregularities and calls to disqualify him due to his age and health, Biya’s leadership continues to dominate Cameroon’s political landscape