Chad’s parliament has approved sweeping constitutional changes that abolish presidential term limits, a move widely condemned by critics as a step toward entrenching President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno’s rule.
The amendment, sponsored by Deby’s ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), passed overwhelmingly on Friday with 236 votes in favor out of 257 lawmakers.
Opposition members, including those from the National Rally of Chadian Democrats, boycotted the vote and staged a walkout in protest.
Opposition leader Albert Pahimi Padacke described the move as “unconstitutional and authoritarian,” warning that it deepens the country’s political divide.
Under the new constitution, the presidential term is extended from five to seven years, and limits on re-election have been scrapped entirely, allowing Deby to potentially stay in power indefinitely.
The reforms also prolong parliamentary terms and restore immunity for government officials.
The changes will take effect from the next presidential election, but opponents argue they effectively grant Deby two extra years in office immediately.
Deby, who assumed power in 2021 after the death of his father, longtime ruler Idriss Deby, cemented his leadership through a disputed election in May 2024.
The opposition Transformers party had already denounced the poll as a “resounding failure.”
Its leader, Succes Masra, one of Deby’s fiercest critics was sentenced to 20 years in prison in August, a verdict his lawyer called a politically motivated manipulation of the courts.
