Key facts
- Cameroon's ruling party, the CPDM, called a rare meeting of senior leaders.
- President Paul Biya, 93, has been abroad for 45 days since June 7.
- The government has not disclosed when Biya will return or his current activities.
- Opposition parties are demanding clarity on the continuity of the state.
- A vice president role was approved in April but has not been filled.
- A new government has not been appointed since Biya's re-election in October.
Cameroon's ruling party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), has convened a rare meeting of its senior leaders amid mounting criticism over the prolonged absence of President Paul Biya. Biya, 93, who has been in office since 1982, has spent the last 45 days abroad since departing on June 7 for what the government described as a brief private stay in Europe. The government has not provided any information regarding his return, fueling speculation about his health and capacity to govern the cocoa- and oil-producing nation.
Jean Nkuete, secretary-general of the CPDM's central committee, summoned the "important working session" without disclosing its specific agenda. While there is no immediate indication that the meeting is directly linked to Biya's absence, his extended trips abroad, particularly in recent years due to his advanced age, have consistently raised questions about his health and governance. The government previously banned public discussion of Biya's health following a similar extended period overseas in 2024.
Opposition figures have voiced concerns, with the Cameroon Democratic Union calling for clarifications on the "effective continuity of the state." Opposition lawmaker Jean Michel Nintcheu has suggested the Constitutional Court should declare the head of state position vacant. A government spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment, though officials have previously dismissed reports of Biya receiving medical treatment, asserting he can govern effectively from abroad. Lawmakers had approved the re-introduction of a vice president role in April, intended to be first in line for succession, but the position remains unfilled. Furthermore, Biya has not appointed a new government since his re-election last October.