Elections in Cameroon

Elections in Cameroon occur in a system of electoral autocracy, as the ruling party (which has been in power since independence in 1960) manipulates elections and represses political opposition.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Cameroon elects on a national level, a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a seven-year term by the people; a two-term limit on the office was removed through a parliamentary vote in April 2008.^[4] The National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) has 180 members, elected for a five-year term in 49 single and multi-seat constituencies. Cameroon also has a Senate, with 100 elected officials, each serving 5 years. 70 of these are elected by a regional council, while 30 are elected directly from the president.^[5]

Cameroon is a one party dominant state with the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement in power. Opposition parties are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power. Elections are manipulated in favor of the ruling party.^[3]^[6]^[7]

Independent candidates are barred from running in parliamentary and municipal elections. They are permitted to run in presidential elections, but there has never been an independent presidential candidate due to the very exacting legal requirements for an independent candidacy.^[8]

^ Letsa, Natalie Wenzell (2024). "Partisanship and Political Socialization in Electoral Autocracies". American Political Science Review: 1–16. doi:10.1017/S0003055424000261. ISSN 0003-0554.
^ Letsa, Natalie Wenzell (2020). "Expressive Voting in Autocracies: A Theory of Non-Economic Participation with Evidence from Cameroon". Perspectives on Politics. 18 (2): 439–453. doi:10.1017/S1537592719001002. ISSN 1537-5927.
^ ^a ^b Harkness, Kristen A. (2020), "Cameroon: The Military and Autocratic Stability", Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics, doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-1800, ISBN 978-0-19-022863-7
^ "AFP: Cameroon chamber frees president to run until 2018". Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2008-04-10.
^ "Election for Cameroonian National Assembly". ElectionGuide.
^ Gramer, Jefcoate O'Donnell, Robbie (2024-03-26). "Cameroon's Paul Biya Gives a Master Class in Fake Democracy". Foreign Policy.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ "Cameroon: Freedom in the World 2022 Country Report". Freedom House. 2022.
^ Dibussi Tande, Scribbles from the Den: Essays on Politics and Collective Memory in Cameroon (2009), page 128.

[1] Letsa, Natalie Wenzell (2024). "Partisanship and Political Socialization in Electoral Autocracies". American Political Science Review: 1–16. doi:10.1017/S0003055424000261. ISSN 0003-0554.

[2] Letsa, Natalie Wenzell (2020). "Expressive Voting in Autocracies: A Theory of Non-Economic Participation with Evidence from Cameroon". Perspectives on Politics. 18 (2): 439–453. doi:10.1017/S1537592719001002. ISSN 1537-5927.

[:02-3] Harkness, Kristen A. (2020), "Cameroon: The Military and Autocratic Stability", Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics, doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.001.0001/acrefore-9780190228637-e-1800, ISBN 978-0-19-022863-7

[4] "AFP: Cameroon chamber frees president to run until 2018". Archived from the original on 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2008-04-10.

[5] "Election for Cameroonian National Assembly". ElectionGuide.

[6] Gramer, Jefcoate O'Donnell, Robbie (2024-03-26). "Cameroon's Paul Biya Gives a Master Class in Fake Democracy". Foreign Policy.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[7] "Cameroon: Freedom in the World 2022 Country Report". Freedom House. 2022.

[8] Dibussi Tande, Scribbles from the Den: Essays on Politics and Collective Memory in Cameroon (2009), page 128.

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