US EditionCameroon approves role of vice president to 93-year-old Biya
Lawmakers voted 200 to 18 to approve a succession plan that lets a vice president take over if Paul Biya leaves office.
- On Saturday, Cameroon's parliament overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to reintroduce the vice president position, voting 200 to 18 with four abstentions. President Paul Biya has 15 days to sign the bill into law.
- Government officials argue the reform ensures institutional stability during sudden leadership vacancies, while the vice president will serve as a presidential appointee for the remainder of the president's seven-year term.
- Under the new bill, the vice president automatically assumes the presidency if President Biya dies, resigns, or becomes incapacitated, though the interim leader is barred from initiating constitutional changes or running in the next election.
- Opposition leader Maurice Kamto condemned the bill as an "ongoing constitutional and institutional coup," while MP Joshua Osih argued it "weakens legitimacy, reinforces centralisation, and ignores a major historical grievance."
- This marks the first major constitutional revision since 2008 for the 93-year-old president, who has led Cameroon since 1982; the vice presidency was previously abolished in 1972.
23 Articles
23 Articles
Cameroon lawmakers revive vice presidency, handing aging president sweeping control over the post
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Cameroon’s parliament overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment to reintroduce the vice president position, a move the opposition says will further strengthen President Paul Biya’s grip on power.
The creation of the post of Vice-President of the Republic was approved on 4 April by the Congressional Parliament in Yaoundé. According to this reform, he will be appointed by the President of the Republic and will be responsible for leading the country in the event of a vacancy of power.
In Cameroon, the bill amending certain provisions of the Constitution was adopted by the Parliament on Saturday, April 4, 2026. The National Assembly and the Senate, meeting in Congress, voted in favour of the establishment of a vice-president with a key role in the presidential succession, despite the opposition's observations.
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