Polling stations closed in Chad on Sunday at 6:00 pm local time (17:00 GMT) for the country’s first parliamentary election in 13 years. This election, which is part of a government-driven process to transition from military rule to a more democratic system, comes at a time of political tension, with opposition parties boycotting the vote, alleging pre-determined results and widespread fraud.
Voters in the Central African nation of 18 million people were asked to choose members of the new parliament, provincial assemblies, and local councils. However, the election saw a marked absence of opposition participation, with key political figures claiming that the election had been rigged and that the outcome had already been decided. Provisional results are expected to be announced by January 15, with final results scheduled for release by January 31.

Voter turnout was notably low in the capital, N’Djamena, when polling stations opened on Sunday. Some election officials in the more affluent districts, home to President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno and other ruling elites, attributed this apathy to the “cold weather.” Meanwhile, the opposition called for a boycott, and several leaders urged the country’s eight million eligible voters to refrain from participating, suggesting that the results were already manipulated in favor of the ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) party.
Despite these claims, President Deby, who has been in power since 2021 following the death of his father, expressed confidence in the electoral process. “I urge all my compatriots on the electoral roll to come out and vote en masse,” he posted on Facebook, highlighting the elections as a “historic day.” Deby, who had previously faced accusations of election manipulation, notably during the May 2021 presidential election, cast his own vote on Sunday.
On the other hand, opposition figures like Succes Masra, leader of the opposition Transformers party, criticized the government, stating that the results had already been “fabricated” and that the elections would be a sham. “The fabricated results are already in the computers,” Masra claimed, underscoring the deep skepticism surrounding the process.
In addition to the political discontent, the country’s challenges were reflected in voter sentiments. Patrice Lumumba Deoumoundou, a 39-year-old unemployed voter, expressed his frustration: “Nothing’s been done yet,” referring to the country’s longstanding socio-economic challenges, including high unemployment, rising prices, and inequality.

The army and nomadic populations voted a day earlier on Saturday, for logistical reasons. Chad’s electoral agency reported high turnout among these groups, with 72% of soldiers and 54% of nomads participating. Many nomadic voters, who face difficulties due to climate change and resource scarcity, expressed hopes that the newly elected officials would address their challenges, including livestock losses and conflicts with sedentary farmers.
Election observers from 100 foreign organizations and political parties monitored the voting process, although the opposition Democratic Party of the Chadian People (PDPT) raised concerns about possible electoral fraud. They reported that over 1,000 ballots for the sub-prefecture of Bongor had gone missing, prompting them to call for increased vigilance to prevent fraud.
The election takes place against the backdrop of security challenges in the Lake Chad region, including attacks by the armed group Boko Haram. Additionally, Chad has recently ended its military accord with France, its former colonial power, and is facing accusations of involvement in the ongoing conflict in neighboring Sudan.

The government has framed the parliamentary elections as the final step in Chad’s transition to democracy, following the military’s assumption of power in 2021 after the sudden death of President Idriss Deby, who had ruled the country for more than 30 years. While the government insists that these elections are an essential step towards greater democracy, the absence of opposition participation and allegations of election manipulation have cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the process.