African Union observers on Tuesday said elections in the Central African Republic, where incumbent President Faustin-Archange Touadera ran for re-election, had gone ahead peacefully.

Touadera, 68, is seeking a third term and has touted his efforts of steadying the nation peacefully.

Part of the opposition had called for a boycott, saying the election lacked political dialogue.

Touadera went into the election in pole position after a new constitution was adopted in 2023 allowing him to seek another term.

'General atmosphere of calm'

AU delegation representative Bernard Makuza praised the elections, which included parliamentary, municipal and regional ballots at the same time, as "a step forward towards democracy."

The AU delegates monitored this year's polls in three of the country's 20 prefectures.

Makuza, a former Rwandan prime minister, stressed that the "overall security" of the country had allowed voting to take place in a "general atmosphere of calm."

He said sources on the ground reported the electoral process had gone ahead peacefully across the country apart from the Haut-Mbomou prefecture in the southeast.

Tensions in the southeast

The region is beset by tensions between the Central African armed forces and a local militia.

In 2020, only 50% of sub-prefectures were able to host polling normally.

The electoral process was marred by an attempted coup by rebels from the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC).

This time, Makuza urged candidates with a grievance to "resort to legal avenues in the case of disputes." The AU monitors will send their final conclusions to the Central African government within a month.

Provisional results are due to be published on January 5, while the Constitutional Court is due to announce final results – in the event of first-round victories not requiring a run-off – on January 20.