Cameroonians went to the polls on Sunday, October 12, 2025, in a presidential election that could extend President Paul Biya’s more than four-decade hold on power.
At 92, Biya is both the world’s oldest sitting head of state and one of its longest-serving leaders, having ruled the Central African nation since 1979.
He is contesting under the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), which maintains tight control over the country’s political institutions.
Polling began at 8 a.m. local time and was scheduled to close at 6 p.m., according to Elections Cameroon (ELECAM).
Election officials described the voting process as largely peaceful, though turnout was reportedly low in parts of the conflict-hit North-West and South-West regions, where separatist unrest continues to disrupt daily life.
Biya faces several opponents, including Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM), who previously disputed the results of the 2018 election.
Analysts, however, say divisions within the opposition and the CPDM’s extensive political machinery make another Biya victory likely.
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The election is being monitored by observer missions from the African Union (AU) and the Commonwealth.
Opposition parties have raised concerns over transparency, citing the ruling party’s dominance of state media and local administrative structures.
Provisional results are expected later this week. A win would give Biya an eighth term, extending his rule beyond 46 years and cementing his place among the world’s longest-serving leaders.