Central African Republic court validates Touadera's re-election

January 19, 2026 9:46 AM EST

President of the Central African Republic and United Hearts Movement presidential candidate Faustin-Archange Touadera, casts his vote during the presidential election at a polling station in Bangui, Central African Republic December 28, 2025. Central Afri

BANGUI, Jan 19 (Reuters) - ⁠Central African Republic's ⁠Constitutional ‍Court on Monday validated President Faustin-Archange Touadera's victory in a disputed December 28 presidential election ‍that handed him a third term.

Even before provisional ​results were announced on January 5, Touadera's opponents had alleged fraud ​but the government denied that.

"On behalf of the Central African people, the Constitutional Court declares Faustin Archange Touadera president-elect in the first ​round with 77.9% of the vote," President of the Constitutional Council Jean-Pierre Waboe said.

Touadera's main rival, former ​Prime Minister Anicet-Georges Dologuele, received 13.5% of the vote, final results from the ‌electoral commission showed.

The Constitutional Court said it rejected an appeal that Dologuele had lodged after ​the announcement of provisional results.

Another ⁠competitor, former Prime Minister Henri-Marie Dondra who got 2.97% of the vote, last week acknowledged ‌Touadera's victory and said he decided not to appeal.

"I made this decision to preserve peace and avoid reigniting tensions. I ‌call on the president-elect to take the necessary measures to reconcile ‌the Central African people and organize a genuine dialogue to ease political tensions in the country," Dondra told Reuters.

Touadera, a 68-year-old ‍mathematician who took power a decade ago, campaigned on his security record in the chronically ⁠unstable nation.

His victory will likely further the interests of Russia, which has traded security assistance for access to resources including gold and diamonds.

(Reporting by Pacome Pabandji; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian;Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)



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