Chad's Veteran Leader Deby Targets Sixth Term in Presidential Vote
Voice of America
Voters in Chad head to the polls Sunday for a presidential election in which Idriss Deby is widely expected to extend his three-decade rule despite growing signs of popular discontent and opposition criticism over his handling of oil wealth.
Deby, 68, is one of Africa's longest-serving leaders and an ally of Western powers in the fight against Islamist militants in West and Central Africa. He seized power in 1990 in an armed rebellion, and in 2018 pushed through a new constitution that could let him stay in power until 2033, even as it reinstated term limits. Deby has relied on a firm grip over state institutions and one of the region's most capable militaries to maintain power. He said recently he knew in advance that he would win again "as I have done for the last 30 years."
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