Link to Article: “Central African Republic President Touadera re-elected”
The people of the Central African Republic have recently re-elected their president, Faustin-Archange Touadera, back into power. This has spiked outrage and violence from various rebel groups throughout the nation. Touadera secured just over half of the votes, with a total of 53.9%. Other candidates in the election included runner-up Anicet-Georges Dologuele, and Martin Ziguele.
Many rebel groups, displeased with election results, have brought up violence in the region, even forcing citizens to flee from home. The violent attacks, launched by rebel groups, were supposedly aimed to warn the CAR government, pushing them to hold negotiations with the groups. Former president Francois Bozize has been blamed for the violent unrest, with claims that he is attempting to tamper with the election.
After a long history of changing government systems, the Central African Republic gained its democratic, multi-party system in 1993. Similar to Ghana’s recent election, it is saddening that the election has turned the country into such turmoil. With only half of the country having favored their newly elected leader, there is bound to be outrage, but the rebel coalitions have taken the conflict to a different level. Ever since the uprising of the Seleka rebel groups in 2013, the CAR has been fighting political opposition, and civilians are now becoming refugees in the DRC in order to avoid conflict and violence. Further uprisings and a split of control in the country may create a refugee crisis, as seen in other cases of rebel groups seizing government control, such as Yemen.
The Central African Republic operates under a semi-presidential system, with its president, Touadera, acting as the head of state, and a prime minister, Ngrebada, as the head of government. NGOs such as the UN have become involved in the conflict in the CAR, as the UN has spoken out against attacks through its MINUSCA mission in the region, as well as having placed sanctions on the former president, Bozize, for his involvement in resistance groups.