🔗 Share this article CAR Goes to the Ballot Box as Incumbent Seeks a Third Term This Sunday, the nation of CAR will conduct a pivotal quadruple election, including the presidency, parliament, and local positions. A Crowded Race for the Presidency Seven candidates are competing for the top office, including former prime ministers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. The two were cleared to stand by the high court after being initially barred. Dologuélé was the runner-up in the 2015 and 2020 votes, while Dondra had a short tenure under the incumbent. Challengers' Strategy and Voter Frustrations The opposition hopes to capitalize on widespread frustration in a country where conflict remains a daily reality. Over half a million people are displaced within their own country, with a comparable figure living as refugees in neighbouring countries. "This represents an chance to commend the remarkable recovery of the nation," said a UN regional official, though he added that challenges remain. The Incumbent's Path Despite the challenges, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, a former mathematics professor, is largely predicted to extend his run. He first entered politics in 2008 when appointed prime minister, serving until a insurgent alliance toppled the government in 2013, triggering a civil war. After a chaotic transition period, his perceived impartiality from the warring factions fueled his second-round victory in 2016. Election Risks and Logistical Hurdles There are fears that supply-chain issues and insecurity could mar the electoral process, especially in the countryside. The UN stabilization force, Minusca, is offering protection and organizational aid that the state's crumbling infrastructure is unable to provide. Further issues include the voter list being published only online, a significant barrier in a country with scarce online access. These issues have prompted an electoral boycott and could, as noted by analysts, "disenfranchise large segments of the population." Implications of Extended Rule Many residents fear that another term for Touadéra—enabled by a 2023 charter change that scrapped term limits and lengthened mandates—would mean expanded sway for outside interests. The president has relied on the Russian mercenary group Wagner for his protection, and even after its founder's death, has pushed back against calls to integrate its fighters into a successor entity. Meanwhile, Rwanda has pursued a different approach, focusing on business interests within CAR. Allegations of Asset Sales Allegations have claimed the administration evicted its own soldiers from a internationally financed training centre to accommodate a Rwandan agricultural project. A pro-opposition commentary accused the leadership of being "determined to dispose of the country piece by piece." Amid a recent peace accord with armed factions offering a glimmer of stabilization, the election proceeds under a cloud of uncertainty and geopolitical competition.