Déby’s victory extends the reign of the family which has held power for decades.
Chad’s constitutional council confirmed Mahamat Idriss Deby as the winner of the May 6 presidential election after rejecting challenges from two losing candidates – cementing a victory that extended his family’s rule for decades.
Déby, who took power the day rebels killed his father, President Idriss Déby in 2021 and declared himself interim leader, received 61 percent of the vote, well ahead of second-place candidate Succes Masra with 18.54 percent, the board announced Thursday.
The oil-producing country is the first in a series of coup states in the Sahel region of West and Central Africa to attempt to return to constitutional order by holding elections.
It has remained a key Western ally in the fight against al-Qaeda and ISIS-linked groups in the Sahel region, even as Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso expelled Western forces and turned to Russia for support.
But Washington and former colonial power France have kept a watchful eye since the head of Chad’s air force last month asked the United States to suspend activities at an air base, citing paperwork problems. . In response, the United States announced the temporary withdrawal of at least some troops.
Masra, who has been prime minister in a transitional government since January, filed an appeal with the constitutional council on Monday to contest the preliminary results published last week.
Masra claimed victory before the preliminary results were officially announced, alleging that electoral fraud was being planned. He said he would deliver a live speech later Thursday.
Chad has experienced coups, authoritarian governments and rebel attacks since gaining independence from France in 1960.
Albert Pahimini Padacke, the other candidate who contested the preliminary results, congratulated Déby on his victory.
The Constitutional Council ruled that both complaints lacked sufficient evidence.
“In view of the votes cast during the presidential election of May 6, Mahamat Idriss Déby having obtained (…) more than the absolute majority of the votes cast, it is appropriate to declare him elected president of the republic “, the council said. declared President Jean-Bernard Padare.
International rights groups have said the elections will be neither credible nor fair.
The International Federation for Human Rights had warned that the election appeared “neither credible, nor free, nor democratic”.
The International Crisis Group also noted that “a number of issues in the run-up to the vote cast doubt on its credibility.”
Déby’s victory extends the reign of the family that has held power since Déby’s father seized power in a coup in the early 1990s.
At least 10 people, including children, were killed and dozens injured in celebratory gunfire Friday after the preliminary results were announced, according to Amnesty International and Chadian media.
