🔗 Share this article CAR Goes to the Ballot Box as Incumbent Aims for a Third Term On Sunday, the nation of CAR will hold a crucial quadruple election, encompassing the presidential race, parliament, and local offices. A Crowded Presidential Field A field of seven contenders are competing for the top office, including former prime ministers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. The two were given approval to stand by the high court after being initially barred. Dologuélé finished second in the 2015 and 2020 votes, while Dondra had a short tenure under the incumbent. Opposition Hopes and Public Discontent The opposition aims to tap into widespread discontent in a nation where conflict remains a daily reality. Over half a million people are internally displaced, with a comparable figure living as exiles in neighbouring countries. "This represents an chance to commend the significant progress of the country," said a UN regional official, though he added that challenges remain. Touadéra's Expected Victory Despite the competition, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, a one-time academic, is widely expected to secure another term. He first entered politics in 2008 when appointed prime minister, holding the post until a rebel coalition toppled the government in 2013, triggering a sectarian conflict. After a turbulent transition period, his perceived neutrality from the main militias fueled his second-round victory in 2016. Security Concerns and Logistical Hurdles There are fears that supply-chain issues and insecurity could mar the electoral process, especially in the countryside. The UN peacekeeping mission, Minusca, is providing security and organizational aid that the state's crumbling infrastructure is unable to provide. Further issues involve the voter list being made available only digitally, a significant barrier in a country with limited internet access. These irregularities have led to an opposition 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—made possible by a 2023 charter change that scrapped term limits and extended mandates—would mean greater influence for outside interests. The president has put faith in the Russian mercenary group Wagner for personal security, and despite its founder's death, has resisted calls to integrate its fighters into a new structure. Meanwhile, Rwanda has taken a separate strategy, focusing on business interests within CAR. Allegations of Asset Sales Recent reports have claimed the government removed its own soldiers from a World Bank-funded training centre to accommodate a foreign-run livestock operation. A pro-opposition editorial accused the leadership of being "intent on sell off the country piece by piece." Despite a recent peace accord with armed factions offering hope of stabilization, the election proceeds under a shadow of doubt and geopolitical competition.