Amid adjustments to the electoral calendar, the government has extended the terms of Cameroonian lawmakers until December 20, 2026. This measure, presented as a logistical and security necessity, is already sparking a debate between advocates of institutional stability and critics of successive extensions.
Under the auspices of President Paul Biya, the mandate of Cameroonian deputies has been officially extended. The National Assembly approved a bill on 19 March 2026 originating from the executive, thereby postponing the legislative elections that were initially scheduled for 2026. This measure extends the duration of the 10th legislature until 20 December 2026, as part of a readjustment of the national electoral calendar.
The President of the Republic, with his usual clairvoyance, realised that entering another election period would not be easy. The state of public finances, the crisis situation and the prevailing circumstances certainly called for an extension of the term of office
Nestus Fru Manju, Deputy at the National Assembly – Cameroon
According to the authorities, this extension primarily responds to organisational and institutional constraints. The government cites the need to harmonise the election schedule, particularly following the adjustments announced for legislative and municipal elections. The objective is to ensure better logistical, administrative, and security preparations for the elections, while avoiding an electoral overlap that could disrupt the functioning of institutions.
The government cites the circumstances because the provisions of Article 15 refer to a crisis or circumstances that may justify such action. As we are not in a crisis, according to them, it is therefore a matter of circumstances, and they justify these circumstances by citing financial difficulties and also the logistical incapacity of ELECAM in view of certain damage that some municipal and departmental offices are said to have suffered.
Adamou Koupit, Deputy at the National Assembly – Cameroon
This decision is presented as a measure to ensure the continuity of the State: the extension of deputies’ mandates by the executive aims to prevent an institutional vacuum after the expiry of the original mandate in March 2026, allowing time to finalise electoral preparations. However, this latest postponement has provoked mixed reactions within the political class, divided between the cited need for institutional stability and recurring criticisms regarding the repeated extensions of parliamentary mandates.
