🔗 Share this article CAR Prepares for the Ballot Box as President Pursues a Third Term On Sunday, the nation of CAR will hold a crucial quadruple election, including the presidency, parliament, and local positions. A Crowded Race for the Presidency Seven candidates are vying for the presidency, among them former prime ministers Anicet Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra. Both men were given approval to run by the constitutional court after initial bans. Dologuélé finished second in the 2015 and 2020 votes, while Dondra briefly served under the current president. Opposition Hopes and Public Discontent The opposition hopes to capitalize on widespread frustration in a nation where violence remains a daily reality. More than half a million people are displaced within their own country, with a similar number living as exiles in bordering states. "This is an opportunity to commend the remarkable recovery of the country," said a UN regional official, though he added that obstacles persist. The Incumbent's Path Despite the challenges, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, a former mathematics professor, is largely predicted to secure another term. He transitioned into politics in 2008 when appointed prime minister, serving until a rebel coalition toppled the government in 2013, sparking a sectarian conflict. After a chaotic three-year interim, his perceived neutrality from the warring factions powered his second-round victory in 2016. Security Concerns and Voting Challenges There are fears that logistical problems and insecurity could mar the electoral process, especially in the countryside. The UN stabilization force, Minusca, is offering protection and organizational aid that the country's weak systems is unable to provide. Additional problems include the voter list being made available only digitally, a significant barrier in a nation with scarce online access. These issues have led to an electoral boycott and could, as noted by analysts, "disenfranchise large segments of the population." Stakes of a Third Term Many citizens worry that another term for Touadéra—made possible by a 2023 constitutional referendum that abolished term limits and extended mandates—would mean greater influence for foreign actors. The president has put faith in the Russian mercenary group Wagner for personal security, and even after its founder's death, has pushed back against calls to integrate its fighters into a successor entity. Meanwhile, Rwanda has taken a separate strategy, focusing on business interests within CAR. Allegations of Asset Sales Allegations have stated the government removed its own soldiers from a World Bank-funded training centre to make way for a foreign-run livestock operation. A pro-opposition commentary charged the leadership of being "intent on sell off the nation piece by piece." Amid a newly signed agreement with armed factions offering hope of calm, the vote moves forward under a cloud of uncertainty and geopolitical rivalry.