At the heart of the 2025 contest is Paul Biya, who has held the presidency since 1982. In 2008, a constitutional amendment removed presidential term limits, enabling him to seek re-election indefinitely.
The Electoral Commission announced that no candidate had secured the required 50% plus one vote needed for an outright victory in the vote that took place last month.
In a country where one half yearns for continuity and the other for change, Ouattara must persuade those skeptical of power endurance that his fourth term is not a betrayal of democracy but a bridge to a more inclusive future.
Opposition leader Patrick Herminie received 48.8% of the vote against the incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan who garnered 46.4%, the electoral commission announced.
The election pits incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) against former President Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), alongside 15 other candidates in what has become one of the continent's most closely watched electoral contest.
Opposition ranks have been weakened by the exclusion of key figures, including former president Laurent Gbagbo and ex-Credit Suisse chief Tidjane Thiam, whose disqualifications triggered protests in Abidjan and calls for a more inclusive process.
Take Voters' Compass
