YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) 鈥� parliament overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to reintroduce the vice president position, a move the opposition says will further strengthen President Paul 叠颈测补鈥檚 grip on power.
Biya, 93, is the world鈥檚 oldest leader and has led the central African nation since 1982. He won a widely disputed election last year, his eighth term .
The widely criticized bill, which Biya is expected to sign into law, was approved Saturday in a joint session of the National Assembly and Senate and boycotted by the main opposition party; 200 voted in favor, 18 against and 4 abstained.
The newest amendment gives the aging president absolute authority over the office of the vice president, as he can appoint and dismiss them at will and the deputy can only exercise powers delegated by Biya. If the president dies, resigns, or becomes incapacitated, the vice president will serve as interim president for the remainder of the seven-year tenure.
Members of the ruling Cameroon People鈥檚 Democratic Movement (CPDM) hailed the legislation as a measure to ensure institutional stability. Critics, however, said the new law undermines democratic principles by replacing electoral legitimacy with presidential appointment.
The opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) said in a statement that the amendment 鈥渇ails to guarantee democratic legitimacy, inclusiveness, and proper institutional balance.鈥�
Fusi Namukong, an SDF member of parliament, told The Associated Press that the law paves the way for a monarchy. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not democratic. This is a republic, and in a republic, those who wield power at the highest level of the state should be elected and not appointed,鈥� Namukong said.
The Cameroon Bar Association also warned the amendment 鈥渆rodes the democratic legitimacy (of) the presidential office鈥� and undermines the country鈥檚 constitution.
The office of the vice president was scrapped in 1972 following a constitutional referendum.
叠颈测补鈥檚 has been a topic of speculation as he spends most of his time in Europe, leaving governance to key party officials and family members. His reelection in 2025 sparked widespread protests that left at least four people dead, signaling growing tensions between the mostly young population and its aging leader.
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