The Federation of the Real Opposition of Chad, a political association, has formally requested the annulment of the recent referendum results on the proposed new constitution. The group filed a lawsuit with the Chadian Supreme Court, asserting that the results announced by the electoral commission on December 16-17 do not accurately reflect the realities of the situation.
In a statement quoted by Le N'Djam Post, the federation declared, "These figures are fabricated on the basis of data that diverge from the reality at the polling stations. The vast majority of Chadians boycotted the referendum. We demand the dissolution of the referendum commission, the annulment of the voting results, and the holding of a new plebiscite in more democratic conditions."
The preliminary results published by the referendum commission indicated that over 86% of participants favored approving the draft of the new constitution, while 14% were against it. If approved by the Supreme Court, this would declare Chad a V republic, with elections scheduled for 2024 to restore civilian rule.
Observers view this referendum as a crucial step in the lead-up to general elections in Chad, Africa's fifth-largest country, where heads of state have historically come to power through military coups rather than elections since independence in 1960.
The government advocated for Chad as a unitary state and invited voters to express their views on the matter. The proposed draft reinforces the principles of a unitary state and reintroduces the position of a prime minister accountable to parliament. Dissatisfaction arose within the opposition due to the absence of an alternative draft suggesting a federal form, leading them to call for a boycott of the plebiscite. Despite this, representatives from both the current authorities and the opposition actively participated in the referendum.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: natanaelginting/Freepik
Based on materials from TASS