Chad began voting in a constitutional referendum on Sunday, calling more than eight million voters to the polls.
“I can assure you that all measures have been taken to ensure that voting unfolds smoothly. All electoral materials are available in the 22,726 polling stations selected for this election,” Limane Mahamat, the president of the national commission responsible for the referendum (Conorec), said on Saturday while announcing the start of voting.
The voting period is from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time (0500-1600 GMT), said Mahamat.
According to Conorec, provisional results will be announced on Dec. 24 before being submitted to the Supreme Court, which will declare definitive results on Dec. 28.
According to officials, the referendum on a new constitution is due to set the stage for elections and a return to civilian rule.
The political and military situation in Chad has deteriorated since 2021 following the death of former President Idriss Deby Itno. His son, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, has led a transitional military council to govern the country ever since.
