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.

Biya, 93, is the world’s oldest leader and has led the central African nation since 1982. He won a widely disputed election last year, his eighth term in office.

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’s 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 “fails to guarantee democratic legitimacy, inclusiveness, and proper institutional balance.”

Fusi Namukong, an SDF member of parliament, told The Associated Press that the law paves the way for a monarchy. “It’s 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,” Namukong said.

The Cameroon Bar Association also warned the amendment “erodes the democratic legitimacy (of) the presidential office” and undermines the country’s constitution.

The office of the vice president was scrapped in 1972 following a constitutional referendum.

Biya’s health 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.