Paul Biya faces calls for resignation amid prolonged absence

President Paul Biya of Cameroon has not appeared in public since June 7, 2026, sparking intense debate regarding a potential vacancy in the presidency. The 93-year-old leader, who has governed the country since 1982, departed Yaoundé for a private stay in Europe, and his prolonged absence has left the nation in a legal gray area.

Under the current Constitution, a vacancy is only officially recognized in cases of death, resignation, or a permanent incapacity determined by the Constitutional Council. The law does not mandate an automatic transition or require the government to justify long-term absences. This lack of clarity has led to concerns about the concentration of power and the lack of transparent communication regarding the president's health and official activities.

In response to the situation, Jean Michel Nintcheu, president of the Front for Change in Cameroon (FCC) and Member of Parliament, has called for President Biya to resign. Nintcheu urged the president to facilitate a peaceful transfer of power, citing the historical precedent of Cameroon’s first president, Ahmadou Ahidjo, who resigned in 1982. With Biya having secured an eighth term in the 2025 election, opposition leaders argue that the question of succession has become an urgent matter of constitutional accountability.