Gabon to Hold Presidential Elections in 2025: End of Military Rule Looms

Gabon's council of ministers announced the presidential elections on April 12, 2025, ending military rule initiated by a coup in August 2023. The interim president, Brice Oligui Nguema, seized power, ending Ali Bongo's long-standing rule. A new constitution permits Nguema to run in the forthcoming elections.

The ministers in Gabon have declared that the country's presidential elections will occur on April 12, 2025, signaling an end to military rule that followed a coup in late August 2023. The announcement, made just after a ministerial cabinet meeting, is a significant move towards restoring democratic governance.

Interim President Brice Oligui Nguema, who took power during the coup, disrupted the long-term leadership of former president Ali Bongo and his family. This event marked the eighth coup in the West and Central Africa region between 2020 and 2023, highlighting ongoing instability in these regions.

A recent referendum supported changing the constitution, a step promised by the coup leaders to facilitate a return to constitutional rule. However, concerns persist over the junta's intention to maintain power, especially since constitutional changes permit Nguema to run in the upcoming elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)