Cameroon schedules twice-postponed legislative and local elections for February
President Paul Biya has set February 7, 2027, for legislative and local elections as Cameroon faces continuing political tensions following his re-election last year.
By Larissa Bell ·
Cameroon will hold legislative and local elections on February 7, 2027, following two postponements by President Paul Biya’s government. The date was set in a presidential decree broadcast on public radio on Monday, amid continuing tensions between the authorities and the opposition.
The delays had extended the time in office of both lawmakers and municipal councillors. Lawmakers’ terms were prolonged until December 20, while municipal councillors were given extensions until February 28, 2027. The newly announced voting date comes as the country also awaits other political changes that have yet to take place.
Biya, 93, has governed Cameroon since 1982 and is the world’s oldest head of state. His announcement comes roughly a year after the presidential election that secured him another term. That vote, held in October 2025, was followed by widespread demonstrations and a violent response from the authorities.
Lawyers cited by Human Rights Watch said security forces detained as many as 2,000 people during the crackdown following the election. According to the AFP news agency, some of those detained remain in custody. The scheduling of the legislative and local votes therefore comes against a backdrop of continuing pressure on the opposition.
In October, authorities suspended the Cameroon National Salvation Front, known as the FSNC. The party is led by Issa Tchiroma Bakary, the defeated opposition presidential candidate. Bakary declared himself the winner of the presidential vote and urged his supporters to defend his “victory”. He subsequently went into exile in the Gambia.
Alongside preparations for the elections, Cameroon is still waiting for a government reshuffle announced nearly a year ago. A vice president has also yet to be appointed. Constitutional changes in April restored that position, whose holder would be expected to succeed Biya if the president dies.
Biya’s health and repeated trips abroad have fuelled questions about his ability to govern. Media discussion of his health has been prohibited since 2024, when rumours spread that he had died. His absences from the country have nevertheless remained a source of political debate.
In late August, Biya returned to the capital, Yaounde, after spending more than two months in Geneva. The prolonged stay drew sharp criticism from the opposition, adding to the tensions surrounding his presidency ahead of the newly scheduled legislative and local elections.
