The Central African Republic has officially published its provisional and final voter registration lists in preparation for the December 2025 general elections, marking a critical milestone in the country’s efforts to restore electoral legitimacy amid persistent instability. These rolls are intended to serve all national ballots—presidential, legislative, and newly reinstated municipal and local elections—and are supported operationally by the UN peacekeeping mission, MINUSCA, which has emphasized inclusivity, particularly increasing women’s representation.

Since early 2025, Central African civil society groups and electoral authorities have worked with MINUSCA to address critical gaps in the voter registry. By mid-2025, nearly all registration centres were open across 20 prefectures, although around eleven remained closed due to insecure conditions and rebel activity. As of February, approximately 570,000 citizens had been registered, with special outreach efforts to enroll women and assist refugees and internally displaced persons lacking birth certificates. A targeted program aimed to ensure at least 50 percent of women were listed, and officials helped those without documentation obtain requisite credentials.

Electoral preparations have been hampered by security breaches. At least twenty incidents were reported involving armed groups disrupting registration efforts—snatching materials, harassing election agents, and intimidating voters. These disruptions echo past polls, notably the disputed 2020–21 elections where rebels blocked registration in several constituencies, denying hundreds of thousands of citizens access to voting.

These elections come amid significant political shifts. In 2023, a contested referendum removed presidential term limits and extended terms to seven years—clearing the path for incumbent Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who remains eligible in December 2025. The constitutional changes were ratified by justices aligned with the executive, while opposition parties boycotted the process.

Local governance has been dormant for decades. The 2025 cycle will be the first municipal and local elections in nearly 40 years. Originally scheduled for October, they were postponed multiple times before being realigned to coincide with the general vote.

Despite government assurances of transparent execution, opposition leaders continue to voice skepticism. Anicet Georges Dologuélé—former prime minister and opposition figure—threatened to disrupt the upcoming local elections, arguing that electoral laws and constitutional changes skew power in favor of Touadéra’s party. The opposition also objects to the appointment of key commissioners to the National Elections Authority by the presidency, alleging institutional capture.

MINUSCA has taken on expanded responsibilities. Beyond security, its mandate includes maintaining registration site access, supporting voter list verification, and ensuring the safe distribution of materials on election day. As part of this, MINUSCA has launched cordon operations to protect electoral staff and registration centres.

The publication of the voter lists is a symbolic and technical achievement against a backdrop of recurring electoral delays, rebel violence, and institutional distrust. Whether these lists hold up under scrutiny—or are undermined by ongoing instability—will reveal much about the CAR’s next chapter: a true return to participatory democracy, or a continuation of managed continuity under legal pretext.

Credit: Al Jazeera, Africanews