As Chad gears up for its legislative and local elections on December 29, tensions are rising in the capital, N’Djamena. The ruling party is in full campaign mode with vibrant rallies, door-to-door canvassing, and market tours, while the opposition intensifies calls for a nationwide boycott.
Opposition parties argue that participating in what they describe as “pre-determined elections” would only serve to legitimize a government they accuse of being undemocratic. They claim the outcome is already decided, rendering any participation futile.
“Boycott! Don’t participate in this farce!” chant members of the political actors’ consultation group (GCAP) as they distribute flyers marked with red crosses in N’Djamena’s crowded markets.
Florence Loardomdemadje, GCAP’s spokesperson, passionately urges citizens to reject what she terms an “electoral coup,” accusing Chadian leaders of being “treacherous and corrupt.” She warns against falling for deceptive political promises and emphasizes that true change cannot emerge from a flawed electoral process.
This isn’t GCAP’s first call for non-participation. The group previously boycotted the constitutional referendum in December 2023 and the presidential election in May 2024, where Mahamat Idriss Déby, who assumed power after his father’s death, secured re-election in the first round.
“These elections were neither transparent nor legitimate,” Loardomdemadje insists, accusing the government of ignoring the voices of women and youth. With less than two months to the polls, Chad remains deeply divided, with political distrust clouding the road to the ballot box.
