Cameroon’s 92-year-old President, Paul Biya, has been officially declared winner of the 2025 presidential election, extending his decades-long rule to nearly half a century.
The Constitutional Council on Monday announced that Biya secured 53.66% of the votes, defeating his closest rival, Issa Tchiroma, who garnered 35.19%. The election was held on October 12.
Biya’s victory means he will remain in power for another seven-year term, taking his presidency through to 2032 — when he will be 99 years old. He currently holds the record as the world’s oldest serving head of state.
Despite Tchiroma’s strong performance among Cameroonian diaspora communities, Biya’s domestic lead proved decisive. Official figures showed Tchiroma winning 62.79% of the vote in Europe, 66.75% in the Americas, and 68.21% in Asia and the Middle East. Across Africa, he also led the diaspora tally with 54.99%, though more than half of eligible voters abroad reportedly abstained.
The Constitutional Council stressed that the overall winner is determined by the national total, not regional or diaspora results.
Biya’s re-election comes amid mounting calls for political transition in Cameroon. Opposition leaders and civil society groups have long accused his ruling party of manipulating electoral processes and silencing dissent, allegations the government denies.
Authorities have maintained that the 2025 polls were free and fair, while ruling party loyalists hailed Biya’s victory as a reaffirmation of national stability.
Biya, who first came to power in 1982, is set to continue leading the Central African nation for another term, cementing his position as one of the longest-serving leaders in the world.
