Gabon: a new presidential election announced to end the transition

In Gabon, the junta which overthrew Ali Bongo Ondimba has revealed the broad outlines of its timetable, which remains provisional for the moment. A new presidential election will take place in August 2025 to end the transition.

In Gabon, the Committee for the Transition and Restoration of Institutions (CTRI) announced on November 13, 2023 that presidential and legislative elections should take place in August 2025 according to an “indicative” calendar which must be validated by a national conference in April next.

“August 2025: elections and end of the transition”announced live on state television Gabon Première the spokesperson for the CTRI, listing a “official timeline of the transition (…) adopted by the Council of Ministers”, but which remains “indicative”. This calendar must still be submitted to a national conference including “all the living forces of the Nation” scheduled for April 2024, according to this schedule.

On the night of August 30, when he had just been proclaimed winner of the presidential election, Ali Bongo was overthrown by the vast majority of army general officers gathered around General Brice Oligui Nguema, proclaimed two days later Transitional president. Ali Bongo had led the country for 14 years after being elected in 2009 following the death of his father Omar Bongo Ondimba, president of this small oil-rich Central African country for more than 41 years.