Chad's Supreme Court stood firm in its decision to uphold the results of the May 6 presidential election, dismissing an opposition appeal seeking its cancellation. The court declared Mahamat Déby, the country's current military leader, as the rightful winner with 61% of the vote, defeating Prime Minister Succès Masra who secured 19%, announced Jean-Bernard Padre, the head of the Constitutional Council.
Padre reiterated the legitimacy of Mahamat Déby's victory, emphasizing that the majority of the electorate had chosen him in the initial round of voting. The victory solidifies Mahamat Déby's position as the transitional leader following the passing of his father, former President Idriss Déby, in 2021, with the support of the military.
In the face of defeat, Masra had sought to challenge the election results, citing various irregularities such as ballot-box tampering and reported incidents of intimidation against his Transformers party members at polling stations. However, Padre, a figure with ties to the ex-President's party, dismissed these allegations as baseless, upholding the integrity of the election process.
Masra had initially claimed an overwhelming victory with 73% of the vote prior to the announcement of preliminary results. Additionally, a separate appeal was lodged by Albert Pahimi Padacké, a former prime minister and the third-place candidate in the election, contesting Déby's significant margins in three key regions.
The election unfolded against a backdrop of violence, notably marked by the tragic killing of Yaya Dillo, the leader of the opposition Socialist Party Without Borders, who had been a potential candidate. Following the release of preliminary results favoring Déby, celebratory gunfire by military personnel resulted in the deaths of at least nine civilians, as reported by Human Rights Watch.
The period leading up to the election and its aftermath was marred by unrest and conflict, underscoring the challenges faced by Chad in its path towards stability and democracy. Despite the contentious nature of the election, the decision of the Supreme Court cements Mahamat Déby's position as the newly elected leader, heralding a complex chapter in Chad's political landscape.