Cameroon - March 2023

An indirect election for seats in the Senate of Cameroon was held on 12 March. Of the 100 seats in the Senate, 30 are filled by direct appointments by the President, and the remaining 70 are filled through this indirect election. The members of municipal and regional councils constitute an electoral college that selects these 70 members of the Senate to represent the ten regions of the country. Following its broad victory in the last regional elections (2020), the party of President Paul Biya (the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement -- RDPC) won all 70 of the seats. It is expected that President Biya will also select members of this party for the remaining 30 seats. Challenges to the election filed by three opposition parties were dismissed by the Constitutional Council on 21 March. The representation of women is likely to slightly improve as 26 women won seats (up from 22 in the last election).

Sources: The Africa Report, Africa News, Anadolu Agency, Ici Lome, Griote