Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, 92, has announced he will run for an eighth term in the October 12, 2025, presidential election, extending his 43-year rule.
The announcement, made via a post on X in both French and English, reaffirmed his commitment to leading the Central African nation despite mounting challenges.
“I am a candidate for the 12 October 2025 presidential election. Rest assured that my determination to serve you is commensurate with the serious challenges facing us,” Biya wrote. “Together, there are no challenges we cannot meet. The best is still to come.”
As the leader of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), Biya’s candidacy was expected, but his advanced age and health have fueled public debate over his ability to govern. Recent months have seen cracks in his political support, with key allies defecting to challenge him.
In June, Employment Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary resigned to run under his own party, the Front for the National Salvation of Cameroon (FSNC). Similarly, former Prime Minister Bello Bouba Maigari, a longtime Biya ally, abandoned the ruling coalition to represent the National Union for Democracy and Progress (NUDP).
The opposition remains fragmented, with prominent figures like Maurice Kamto—Biya’s main rival in 2018—and Cabral Libii of the Cameroonian Party for National Reconciliation (CPNR) also entering the race. However, analysts say the lack of a unified opposition could benefit Biya, despite widespread dissatisfaction over unemployment, inflation, and poor public services.
Adding to Cameroon’s political tensions is ongoing separatist violence in the country’s English-speaking regions, which has further strained Biya’s administration. With the July 21 deadline for candidate declarations approaching, the election is shaping up to be a critical test for Africa’s second-longest-serving leader.