Chad's Presidential Power Play: Unlimited Terms and Extended Tenure

Chad's National Assembly has endorsed constitutional changes allowing the president to serve unlimited terms and extending each term from five to seven years. This move strengthens President Mahamat Idriss Deby's hold on power after a disputed election and continues the political dominance following his father's regime.

Chad's National Assembly has approved constitutional revisions that could significantly alter the nation's political landscape by extending the presidential term from five to seven years, with no limit on the number of terms.

President Mahamat Idriss Deby, who came to power following his father's assassination in 2021, is consolidating his rule after a disputed 2024 election and subsequent parliamentary victory.

The revisions, overwhelmingly passed by the assembly, now await a Senate vote scheduled for October 13, with experts anticipating little resistance and a further tightening of the current regime's grip on power.

(With inputs from agencies.)