**Cameroon’s President Paul Biya Wins Another Term Amid Protests and Political Tensions**
*YAOUNDE, Cameroon* — The world’s oldest head of state, Cameroon’s 92-year-old President Paul Biya, has secured another term in office, the country’s Constitutional Council announced Monday, October 27, 2025. The announcement came after days of violent protests and clashes between opposition supporters and security forces that resulted in the deaths of at least four people.
Biya, who has led Cameroon since 1982, remains in power longer than most of the country’s population has been alive. Cameroon’s population of nearly 30 million is predominantly young, with over 70% under the age of 35. The October 12 election underscored growing tensions between Africa’s youthful population and its many aging leaders.
According to the Constitutional Council, Biya received 53.66% of the vote, while opposition candidate and former ally Issa Tchiroma Bakary garnered 35.19%. Voter turnout was reported at 57.7%.
Following the results’ announcement, Issa Tchiroma took to social media to condemn the election process and accused security forces of shooting civilians. “Shooting point-blank at your own brothers—I can’t help but wonder if you’re mercenaries,” he wrote. “Kill me if you want, but I will liberate this country by any means necessary. What blatant impunity.” No immediate response came from government authorities.
Tchiroma had declared victory days ahead of the official results, claiming that his party had independently collated data. However, officials from Biya’s party dismissed the claim.
### Protests and Government Crackdown
The election period was marked by widespread unrest, with hundreds of opposition supporters taking to the streets in cities like Douala, Garoua, and Maroua. In Douala, four protesters were killed when security forces opened fire during demonstrations on Sunday.
Security officials reported injuries among their ranks, with Samuel Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua, governor of the Littoral Region, stating that 105 protesters were detained. Several opposition figures and activists have been arrested recently, with authorities accusing some of plotting violence.
Oumarou Bouba, a 27-year-old trader in Maroua, expressed frustration amid the unrest: “I am ready to stake my life to defend my vote. I voted for Tchiroma because I want change.”
### Mixed Reactions from the Public
The announcement of Biya’s victory elicited mixed reactions. Sani Aladji, a 28-year-old hotel worker in Maroua, expressed disillusionment: “Nothing will change. I expected that Issa Tchiroma would bring change, which is why I voted for him. There’s rampant corruption under Biya’s regime. We are tired of that.”
Conversely, supporters of Biya remain hopeful. Flicia Feh, a staunch supporter, said, “Our president campaigned on hope. He started so many projects, like the Yaoundé-Douala motorway, and it’s just normal that he is given more time to complete what he started.”
### Election Monitoring and Reports of Irregularities
Cameroon’s government accredited over 5,000 national and international observers to monitor the election process. A coalition of eight local civil society groups documented several irregularities, including the presence of deceased voters on electoral rolls, unequal ballot paper distribution, and attempts at ballot box stuffing.
Nonetheless, the African Union election observation mission declared the vote was “conducted largely in accordance with regional, continental and international standards.”
### Longest-Serving President Faces Ongoing Challenges
Paul Biya came to power in 1982 after the resignation of Cameroon’s first president. He later benefitted from a constitutional amendment that removed presidential term limits. Despite concerns about his health and frequent stays in Europe, Biya continues to govern through key party officials and family members.
Critics argue that Biya’s rule has led Cameroon from relative stability into states of crisis, marked by Boko Haram attacks in the north and a violent secessionist insurgency in the English-speaking North West and South West regions.
The anglophone crisis, triggered by government efforts to impose French language use in schools and courts, has resulted in nearly 7,000 deaths, displaced over one million people, and forced thousands to seek refuge in neighboring Nigeria.
### Economic Growth Fails to Reach Youth
Although Cameroon is an oil-producing country with modest economic progress, many young people feel left behind. World Bank data shows an official unemployment rate of 3.5%, yet 57% of the labor force aged 18 to 35 works in informal jobs.
“Many young people across the country and in the diaspora had hoped for change, but their hopes have been dashed. It feels like a missed opportunity,” said Emile Sunjo, senior lecturer in international relations at the University of Buea. “Cameroon could potentially slide into anarchy.”
Christopher Fomunyoh, regional director at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, commented on the Constitutional Council’s decision: “They boxed themselves into a corner and were left with no choice but to declare Biya the winner. All those involved should brace themselves for the inevitable consequences and backlash.”
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**Photo captions:**
– President Paul Biya casts his ballot at the Government Bilingual Primary School in Bastos, Yaoundé, Cameroon, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Angel Ngwe)
– Supporters of opposition presidential candidate Issa Tchiroma protest on the streets of Garoua, Cameroon, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Welba Yamo Pascal)
– Clement Atangana, President of the Constitutional Council, confirming the election results on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. (AP Photo/Angel Ngwe)
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