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Democracy

Cameroon's Paul Biya absent for over 44 days, fuelling succession fears

Wednesday, 22 July 2026, 06:44 · 1 min read

Cameroonian President Paul Biya, 93, one of Africa's longest-serving heads of state, has not returned to Cameroon since departing for a private trip to Europe on June 7, sparking mounting concern over who is governing the country. An opposition lawmaker has petitioned the Constitutional Council to declare the presidency vacant, though the ruling RDPC party insists the state remains functional, and official presidential social media accounts have continued to post messages in Biya's name. With no vice president in place and no law setting a clear limit on how long a president may remain abroad, analysts warn the prolonged absence is exposing a serious gap in Cameroon's constitutional framework for continuity of power.

Sources
Africanews — Cameroon: President Paul Biya’s prolonged absence raises questions ↗︎
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