Opposition Leader Dologuele Drops French Citizenship in Bid for CAR Presidency

Central African Republic (CAR) opposition leader Anicet-Georges Dologuele has renounced his French citizenship to once again enter the presidential race against incumbent Faustin-Archange Touadéra. Dologuele, who came second in the contested 2020 vote, criticized the 2023 constitutional change that enabled Touadéra to seek a third term while banning dual citizens from running. With elections set for December 28, he questioned whether authorities could deliver credible polls, citing electoral roll issues, funding gaps, and alleged bias within the electoral authority. While 2.3 million voters are registered, including nearly 750,000 first-timers, Dologuele warned that the opposition may boycott the vote if fairness is not ensured. His challenge comes as CAR grapples with insecurity, instability, and heavy foreign influence.

RFI