The Central African Republic held four elections on 28 December 2025. In the presidential polls, incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadéra won a third term in office. Two of the main contenders for the presidency challenged the results. Women’s political participation in elections and representation in elected offices remains low.
On 28 December 2025, the Central African Republic held four elections – presidential, parliamentary, regional and municipal – simultaneously. The incumbent, President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, won a third term in office after securing 76% of the vote. An amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 2023, extended the presidential term from five to seven years with no term limits. Seven candidates contested in the presidential polls. Of those, two main contenders, Anicet-Georges Dologuélé and Henri-Marie Dondra, “received 15% and 3% of the vote respectively.” The AU reported that 687 candidates contested in the parliamentary elections and 226 in the regional polls. Legislative elections are conducted through a two-round system, and the second round is scheduled for 26 April 2026.
The polls took place within a particularly tense institutional, political and security context. The Central African Republic has, for many years, remained the scene of recurrent clashes between government forces and various armed groups. The main opposition coalition boycotted the election, “citing concerns about electoral fairness.” Following the announcement of the results of the presidential election, Anicet-Georges Dologuélé claimed victory. Both Mr Dologuélé and Mr Dondra called for the results to be annulled, claiming “widespread irregularities and fraud.”
Despite constraints stemming from persistent insecurity and domestic political tensions, the electoral authorities, through the National Electoral Authority (ANE), maintained the electoral timetable with support from several international partners and observation missions. They included the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), the African Union through its Electoral Observation Mission (AU-EOM), and Rwanda, which provided security support for the electoral process. The presence of the Russian Wagner Group within the national security apparatus also shaped the context in which these elections were conducted.
The return of municipal elections after almost forty years of interruption constituted a major step forward in the process of decentralisation and political reconciliation, particularly within the framework of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation signed in 2019 between the Central African government and armed groups, with the support of the international community. The elections witnessed significant citizen mobilisation throughout the country, although several polling stations experienced logistical and security-related difficulties that affected the smooth conduct of the voting operations. Voter turnout was estimated at 52.43%.
Woman’s political participation
Women are underrepresented in political life in the Central African Republic, despite representing approximately 52% of the population. Of the 2,398,158 registered voters, women make up 47.2% compared to 52.8% men. In the 2025 polls, there were no female presidential candidates. One woman contested in the 2020 presidential elections. At the national and regional levels, there are few women candidates. At the national level, 86 of the 687 candidates were women, compared to 601 male candidates. At the regional level, 22 of the 226 candidates are women compared to 204 men.
Concerning women’s representation in the National Assembly, available data suggest it remains at 11.4%. It is well below the 35% target set in the Electoral Code. Women’s representation may change, however, following the completion of the second round of parliamentary elections scheduled for 26 April 2026.
Legislative and Policy Reforms on Women's Rights
Recent legislative reforms have sought to advance women’s political and electoral participation and representation, notably through the adoption of gender quotas. In 2016, the Central African Republic adopted Law No. 16.004 of 24 November 2016 on gender parity which set the quota of at least 35% women candidates. The 35% quota is maintained at the national and local levels in the 2019 Electoral Code.
Furthermore, the 2023 Constitution enshrines the principle of non-discrimination (Article 13) and establishes the right of women to equitable representation in all national, regional and local institutions Article 14).
Challenges to women's participation
Despite legislative reforms, women’s political participation and representation in the Central African Republic remain low. At both the national and regional levels, the percentage of women candidates stands below the 35% quota, 12.5% (86 of 687) at the national level and 9.7% (22 of 226) at the regional level.
Women often face challenges in accessing training and financial resources. Some reports suggest that women are forced to align themselves with “male politicians simply for financial compensation, which limits their autonomy and their ability to run independent election campaigns.”
Other barriers include the persistence of discriminatory laws and institutions. For example, while the Constitution provides for protection against discrimination in Article 13, it does not consider sex as a ground for discrimination. Moreover, women continue to face several obstacles, including socio-cultural constraints, weak support from political parties and persistent insecurity, particularly in rural areas and regions affected by armed conflict. In the 2025 elections, there were reports of violence against women candidates.
Conclusion
Following the 2025 presidential elections, incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadéra secured a third term in office. There were no female presidential candidates. As the legislative elections are conducted under a two-round system, the final results have yet to be published. Initial reports, however, suggest that women’s representation in the National Assembly remains the same as following the 2020 elections, at 11.4%.
Despite the adoption of gender quotas and initiatives, such as awareness campaigns to increase women’s participation as candidates, women are underrepresented and continue to face multiple barriers. Efforts, led by the country’s women, are underway to pave the way for greater female representation.
Several women’s rights organisations and networks of female candidates recommended stronger enforcement of parity laws, greater integration of women into political party strategies, and increased financial and institutional support for female candidacies. The Circle of Women Candidates for Elections (CFCE) notably advocated for establishing sustainable programmes to strengthen women’s political capacities. They also called for greater community awareness regarding the importance of women’s representation within public institutions.