92-year-old Paul Biya re-elected as Cameroon’s President after 43 years in power

92-year-old President Paul Biya has been officially declared the winner of the 2025 Presidential Election in Cameroon, extending his more than four-decade rule for another seven years.

According to results announced on Monday by the Constitutional Council, Biya secured 53.66% of the votes, defeating his main challenger Issa Tchiroma, who garnered 35.19%. The election was held on October 12, but official results were only confirmed this week.

With this victory, Biya already the world’s oldest serving head of state, will continue to lead Cameroon until 2032, when he will be 99 years old, barring any constitutional or political changes.

Despite strong support for Tchiroma among Cameroonian diaspora voters, Biya’s dominance within the country proved decisive. Tchiroma received 62.79% of the vote in Europe, 66.75% in the Americas, and 68.21% in Asia and the Middle East. Across Africa, Tchiroma also led the diaspora vote with 54.99%, though more than half of eligible voters abroad reportedly abstained.

The Constitutional Council clarified that the overall winner is determined by total nationwide votes, not diaspora tallies.

Biya’s victory comes amid intensifying calls for political transition in Cameroon, where critics have long accused his ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) of suppressing opposition and manipulating elections. The government, however, insists that the poll was free, fair, and transparent.

Announcing the results, Clement Atangana, President of the Constitutional Council, declared:

“Hereby proclaimed President-elect: the candidate Biya Paul.”

Biya, who first assumed office in 1982, has maintained a tight grip on power for more than four decades. He abolished term limits in 2008, ensuring his ability to seek indefinite re-election.

His main opponent this year, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, a former government spokesperson and employment minister, broke ranks with Biya earlier in 2025 to lead a broad opposition coalition, drawing large crowds and notable endorsements.

Biya’s re-election cements his position as one of the longest-serving leaders in the world, continuing a legacy of political dominance that has defined Cameroon’s post-independence era.

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