At Stake in this Election: 

On 30 July 2023, citizens of the Central African Republic will vote on a new constitution proposed by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. If passed, the revised constitution will extend the presidential term from 5 to 7 years and remove term limits, allowing President Touadéra to run again in 2025.  

Government Structure:  

• Chief of State: President Faustin-Archange TOUADÉRA (since 7 February 2022) 

• Head of Government: Prime Minister Felix MOLOUA (since 7 February 2022) 

• Assembly: unicameral National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) with 140 seats 

Electoral System:  

• The President is directly elected by absolute majority vote and serves up to two 5-year terms. 

• The Prime Minister is appointed by the President. 

• In the National Assembly, all 140 members are directly elected by absolute majority vote within single-seat constituencies. All members serve 5-year terms. 

Last Election: 

In 2015, voters approved an interim constitution following several years of internal conflict. Voter turnout was 38%. 

New/Unique in this Election: 

In December 2022, the constitutional committee was disbanded by order of head justice Danièle Darlan of the constitutional court. However, President Touadéra removed Darlan from the court shortly thereafter, and the court approved the constitutional referendum process. The national government also chose to delay local elections—previously pushed to July 2023—until after the constitutional referendum. 

Population: 

• Population: 5,552,228 (2023 est.) 

Gender Data: 

• Female Population: 2,790,064 (2023 est.) 

• CEDAW Status: Ratified (by accession) 21 June 1991  

• Gender Quota: Women must make up at least 35% of nominees from each political party or coalition. 

• Number of Female Legislators (pre-election): 18 out of 140 (12.9%) in the National Assembly 

• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 0.404, Low, Rank: 188 (2021) 

• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: 48.7 (2023)  

Disability Data: 

• CRPD Status: Signed 9 May 2007, Ratified 11 October 2016 

• Projected population with a disability: 832,834 (2023 est.) 

IFES Resources: 

• Does IFES have a presence in the Central African Republic: No  

• Election Access: Yes 

• Election Judgements: Yes, 3 resources