President Idriss Déby is determined to turn Chad into his own personal fiefdom. He held a forum for institutional reform in N’Djamena between 19-27 March, at which he announced the launch of a new fourth republic. Unsurprisingly, the Forum was boycotted by the entire opposition and most of Chad’s civil society organisations, who collectively see the exercise as nothing more than the strengthening of Idriss Déby’s power and control.

The new constitution for a fourth republic will turn Chad from what he calls a ‘semi-presidential regime’ into a ‘full presidential regime’. No dates have been set. But Idriss Déby clearly plans to launch his constitutional reforms before the end of 2018, by way of a referendum that he will manipulate so that the future Constitution will come into effect before the end of his fifth presidential term in August 2021. The proposed new Constitution will extend the president’s term from five to six years – he was planning on seven.

Under the new proposals, there will no longer be a prime minister or, it seems, a vice president. The project also includes the abolition of several major institutions that currently maintain a modicum of control over the president, such as: the Ombudsman; the Economic and Social Council; and, among other thing, the Comité de contrôle et de suivi des resources pétrolières (CCSRP), whose main task — much to Idriss Déby’s irritation — is to control the use of oil revenues.

It looks as if the Senate will be abolished — as in Mauritania — and replaced by a High Council of Decentralised Territorial Communities which will be composed of appointed and elected members. Chad will be divided into 17 or perhaps less ‘provinces’, compared to its current 23 regions. The number of MPs looks likely to be reduced to 130 from the current 188, with their terms being extended from four to either five or probably six years.

News of Déby’s new plan has cast an air of gloom over the country … [article continues] …

This segement was taken from the Sahara Focus analysis, which provides useful political, macro and security insights into Chad, Mauritania, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. To receive a free sample, please contact our consultancy team here.