Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Chad on 6 May 2024, with a second round, if necessary, to be held on 22 June 2024.[1][2] The elections will follow a constitutional referendum held on 17 December 2023, following the death of President Idriss Déby in 2021.[3][4] Incumbent transitional president Mahamat Déby, the son of the previous president Idriss Déby, is running for a full term as the candidate of the Patriotic Salvation Movement, potentially leading to an extension of 33 years of rule by the Déby family.[5][6][7]
In October 2023 the ruling Mahamat Déby extended the transition period for another two years. Despite previously declaring that he was not intending to succeed his father, this time he also declared that he was eligible for election for a full term. Chad's security forces gunned down at least 128 protesting people in a day and arrested hundreds more.[7]
Following the announcement of the election date on 28 February 2024, clashes broke out in the capital N'Djamena after the government said that supporters of the opposition Socialist Party without Borders (PSF) attacked the headquarters of the National State Security Agency (ANSE), and attempted to assassinate the head of the Supreme Court, Samir Adam Annour. Government forces subsequently laid siege to PSF headquarters, resulting in several deaths,[8] including that of PSF leader Yaya Dillo Djérou, Deby's cousin who had announced his intention to run for president and was regarded as his main opponent,[9] in what authorities said was a shootout.[10]
On 12 April 2024 the United Chad party filed a complaint against the United Chad coalition of Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, accusing it of plagiarism.[12]
Candidates
The Chadian electoral commission announced that it would release the official list of candidates approved by the Constitutional Council on 24 March 2024.[1]
Initially in 2021 Déby promised he would not stand in the poll to succeed his father.[7] However on 13 January 2024, he was announced as the nominee of the Patriotic Salvation Movement by party secretary Mahamat Zene Bada.[13] He confirmed his candidacy on 2 March as a candidate of the wider For a United Chad coalition.[14]
Les Transformateurs
Succès Masra, incumbent Prime Minister of Chad (2024–present).[15] His candidacy was approved by the Constitutional Court.[16] On 10 March 2024 that he had accepted his party's nomination of him as its candidate for the presidential election.[17] After being pursued by the junta with an international arrest warrant, he returned to Chad in November 2023 after signing an agreement with the government.[7] It is the first time in Chad's history that a president and a prime minister will face each other in a presidential election.[18]
The candidacies of ten candidates in total were approved.[19]
Yaya Dillo Djérou, killed by government forces shortly after the vote date announcement.[9]
Rejected candidates
Nassour Ibrahim Neguy Koursami, rejected because of "irregularities" in application.[20]
Rakhis Ahmat Saleh, rejected because of "irregularities" in application.[20]
The candidacies of ten candidates in total were rejected.[20]
Campaign
On 15 March, the period for submitting applications ended, around fifteen candidates submitted their applications to the Constitutional Council.[21]
On 16 March the "We the People" coalition demanded the postponement of the presidential election and the opening of an inclusive national dialogue.[22] On 23 March the opposition platform Wakit Tamma called for a boycott of the presidential election, criticizing a “masquerade” whose results were known in advance.[23] On 13 April bishops of Chad called on the political parties for the smooth running of the presidential election.[24]
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