El marc polític de Camerun

Political Outline

Current Political Leaders

President: Paul BIYA (since 6 November 1982)
Prime Minister: Joseph Dion NGUTE (since 4 January 2019)

Next Election Dates

Presidential: 2032
Senate: March 2027
National Assembly: 2030

Main Political Parties

Cameroon has a multi-party system, yet more than two-thirds of parliamentary seats are delegated to the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) party. The most notable political forces include:

- Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM): right-wing, has the vast majority of seats in the parliament
- Social Democratic Front (SDF): centre-left, main opposition party, promotes social democracy
- National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP): anti-communist
- Cameroon Democratic Union (UDC): anti-corruption, decentralization
- Movement for the Defence of the Republic (MDR).

Executive Power

The President is the chief of the state and holds the executive powers. The President is also the head of the armed forces. He is elected by popular vote for a seven-year term. He appoints the Prime Minister (who is the head of the government) and the Cabinet. The President has the power to dissolve the National Assembly and declare by decree a state of emergency which shall confer upon him special powers.

Legislative Power

Cameroon's legislature is bicameral, consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate. The National Assembly has 180 members, directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote for five-year terms. While its main role is to pass laws, it rarely modifies or blocks government proposals. The Senate comprises 100 members, with 70 elected indirectly by regional councils and 30 appointed by the President. Senators also serve five-year terms.