Chad’s Leader Strengthens Power with Senate Landslide

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has further cemented his grip on power after his ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS) party secured a dominant victory in the country’s recent senate elections.

After leading a three-year interim government, Deby, who turns 41 next month and was recently promoted to field marshal, won a five-year presidential term in May last year. His election, boycotted by opposition parties and criticized by international organizations as “not free nor credible,” marked a continuation of his family’s decades-long rule following the 2021 death of his father, Idriss Deby Itno.

Senate Elections and Power Consolidation

In the December parliamentary elections, the MPS party won 124 of the 188 seats in the lower house and secured control over 23 regions. The party has now expanded its dominance, winning 43 of the 46 senate seats up for grabs while also controlling the list of 23 directly appointed senators.

This latest victory marks the final stage of Chad’s political transition, but it also underscores the growing absence of opposition representation in the country’s institutions.

“We are further strengthening the foundation of our democracy,” the Constitutional Council announced upon confirming the results. However, opposition leader Mahamat Zene Cherif rejected the elections, arguing that they lacked credibility and legitimacy.

Opposition Criticism and Democratic Concerns

Cherif’s Chad United party, along with other opposition groups, boycotted the elections, denouncing the results as predetermined.

“It is very worrying that in a so-called democratic regime and a rule of law worthy of its name, all republican institutions are under the control of one party,” Cherif told AFP.

MPS officials, however, dismissed these concerns, claiming that the political landscape had simply shifted in their favor.

“There’s no longer any opposition,” said Aziz Mahamat Saleh, the party’s general secretary. “The MPS has the activists and the means; it is the only one present throughout the country. It’s only logical that it wins all the elections.”

Despite the party’s justifications, political analysts warn that the overwhelming concentration of power could erode Chad’s democratic structure.

“With all this power, there is a fear of tending towards a certain dictatorship,” said N’Djamena University political scientist Evariste Ngarlem Tolde.

Chad’s Political Future Amid Regional Challenges

The ruling party has pledged to prioritize peace, security, and national reconciliation, particularly amid regional instability. Chad faces ongoing threats from Boko Haram insurgents, growing tensions from the Sudanese civil war, and recent hostilities with Chadian rebel groups.

The country has also been reshaping its international alliances following the withdrawal of French forces earlier this year. Chad has strengthened ties with the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Hungary, signaling a shift in its geopolitical strategy.

With the opposition sidelined and power further consolidated, concerns remain about the future of democracy in Chad. While Deby’s government presents the election results as a step toward stability, critics argue that the lack of political diversity raises serious questions about the country’s democratic trajectory.