Faustin-Archange Touadera secured 77.90% of the vote in the December 28 election, the country's Constitutional Council has declared

The president of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadera, won the country's December 28 presidential election, the Constitutional Council has announced, dismissing an opposition petition challenging the results.

Touadera's first-round victory secures him a third mandate after 2023 constitutional amendments removed the two-term limit and extended the presidential tenure from five to seven years.

Provisional results declared on January 5 showed Touadera with 76.15% of the vote, while his main challenger, former Prime Minister Anicet-Georges Dologuele, received 14.66%. Six opposition candidates ran against the incumbent in the polls held alongside legislative, regional, and municipal elections.

On Monday, CAR's Constitutional Council said it had rejected Dologuele's petition seeking to invalidate votes and annul the election. The court cited non-compliance with the country's electoral code, noting the petitions were submitted without the required supporting documents.

"Candidate Faustin Archange Touadera, having obtained 1,005,451 votes, representing an absolute majority of valid votes cast in the first round... with a percentage of 77.90%, is proclaimed elected president of the Central African Republic," the council said in a statement.

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Earlier, Dologuele told reporters there had been "a methodical attempt to manipulate" the election outcome, an allegation the government rejected.

Former Prime Minister Henri-Marie Dondra, who secured 2.97% of the vote, acknowledged Touadera's victory and told Reuters that he chose not to appeal "to preserve peace and avoid reigniting tensions."

Touadera, 68, has been CAR's leader since 2016. A former prime minister, he has a background in mathematics, having served as a university rector and vice-chancellor. His presidency has focused on improving security in the former French colony, with military support from Russia and a UN peacekeeping mission. The country has been ravaged by civil war since 2013, with rebel groups and militias clashing with government forces for control of territory.

In a post on X following the declaration of the provisional results, Touadera thanked his supporters for their "trust" and pledged to "continue the changes already begun and build a stronger, sovereign nation."

"The years ahead mark a new era: innovation, economic independence, and opportunity," he added.