Chad's Patriotic Salvation Movement Wins Majority in Parliamentary Elections

In N'Djamena, Chad, the ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement, led by President Mahamat Idriss Deby, has won a majority in the recent parliamentary elections. The elections, held in December, saw the party secure 124 out of 188 seats in the National Assembly, as announced by Ahmed Bartchiret, head of the electoral commission.

The elections were marked by a 51.56% voter turnout and were largely boycotted by opposition parties, who questioned the election's legitimacy. This election was the first in over a decade and included municipal and regional votes. It was framed by President Deby's government as the final step in Chad's transition to democracy, following his rise to power in 2021 after the death of his father, Idriss Deby Itno.

More than 10 opposition parties, including the main Transformers party, boycotted the vote, labeling it a "charade" and expressing concerns it would replicate the disputed presidential election from the previous year.

The election occurred during a challenging time for Chad, which is dealing with security threats from Boko Haram and tensions over military cooperation with France. Recently, Chad ended its military ties with France and is strengthening relations with Russia. Additionally, security forces thwarted an attack on the presidency, which the government described as an "attempt to destabilise."