In a dramatic shift, Chad’s National Assembly on Friday passed a constitutional amendment extending the presidential term from five to seven years and removing any cap on re-election, effectively allowing the incumbent to rule indefinitely. 

Analysts say the move deepens the grip of President Mahamat Idriss Déby who secured power after his father’s death in 2021 and won a contested election in May 2024 by further weakening institutional checks. 

The reform passed the lower house by 171 votes in favor, with one abstention and no opposition.  It now awaits a final vote in the Senate, scheduled for October 13, before being signed into law.  Opposition figures and civil society warn the decision erodes democratic norms in a country long plagued by authoritarian rule and weak oversight.