2025 in review: Elections in Africa

Africa’s democratic landscape faced both triumphs and turbulence in 2025. Some nations embraced new futures while others clung to old orders.

In Malawi, Peter Mutharika was re-elected president. He defeated the incumbent, Lazarus Chakwera, in what many observers called a "protest vote" against soaring inflation, crippling fuel shortages, and a deepening cost-of-living crisis. 

Mutharika secured the presidency with 56.8 percent of the vote, compared to Chakwera's 33 percent, turning what might once have seemed a comeback bid into a sweeping mandate for change.

Elsewhere, in Seychelles, the tide of change was equally evident. Opposition leader Patrick Herminie defeated incumbent President Wavel Ramkalawan with 52.7 percent in the October run-off. 

Public frustration over corruption and controversial development projects helped fuel the opposition's victory.

In Central Africa, Gabon held its first executive elections since a 2023 military coup.

Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema recorded a landslide victory, securing 90.35 percent of the votes cast, over seven other candidates to win the presidency.

Togo also saw a dramatic shift in governance. In May 2024, Togo's long-serving President Faure Gnassingbe signed a new constitution that formally shifted the country from a presidential to a parliamentary system. The change meant lawmakers, rather than voters, would select the president—a move hailed by supporters as modernizing governance.

This year saw the new rules put into practice for the first time. In May 2025, parliament appointed Gnassingbe to the newly created role of president of the country's Council of Ministers, effectively the head of government with full executive authority.

Yet while some transitions were relatively calm, other corners of the continent erupted into high-stakes confrontations between veteran leaders and defiant opposition.

In Cameroon, 92-year-old President Paul Biya secured an eighth term in an election marred by violence.

Hundreds of opposition supporters defied protest bans, clashing with security forces, raising questions about confidence in the electoral process. 

In East Africa, Tanzania’s October 29 presidential election declared Samia Suluhu Hassan the winner after a tense campaign period. 

Demonstrations took place in some parts of the country, leading to clashes with security forces as well as arrests and injuries.

Hassan was sworn in on November 3 after winning 97.66 percent of the vote in the general election.

In Cote d'Ivoire, there were occasional pre-election protests as President Alassane Ouattara sought a fourth term, which he won with a large majority.

Meanwhile, Guinea-Bissau's election unraveled dramatically. On November 26, army officers seized power a day before the electoral commission could release results. Senior military officer Horta Inta-A was sworn in as transitional president, freezing the electoral process. 

Finally, the Central African Republic is preparing for general elections on December 28, a pivotal moment as incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadera seeks a third term.

As 2025 draws to a close, the dust settles on another turbulent year of African politics. Yet the continent’s democratic story is far from complete — and the next chapter is already on the horizon.