Cameroon’s long-serving leader Paul Biya has been named the provisional winner of the country’s October 12, 2025 presidential election, after the National Vote Counting Commission released preliminary results showing him with over 53 % of the vote.
At 92 years old, Biya—who has held power since 1982—looks set to embark on yet another term, extending his record as one of Africa’s longest‐serving leaders. The provisional tally places his main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, at around 35%. 
The result has already drawn sharp criticism. Tchiroma declared himself the winner early last week based on local figures and has rejected the official count as inaccurate. Demonstrations broke out in several cities following the announcement.
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The provisional results now move to the Constitutional Council, which is legally tasked with validating the outcome by October 26. If confirmed, Biya would continue his rule into what would become nearly half a century at the helm.
For Cameroon and the broader African political landscape, the election highlights deeply rooted questions: the sustainability of leadership concentrated in one person, the space for opposition in francophone Africa, and how electoral credibility is restored—or not.
