How did the Anglophone conflict affect the 2018 presidential election in Cameroon?

The Anglophone conflict significantly disrupted the 2018 presidential election in Cameroon. The unrest, which stemmed from protests against marginalization and escalated into armed conflict between government forces and separatists, created severe security challenges that threatened the feasibility of holding the vote in the two English-speaking regions.12

The conflict impacted the election in several critical ways:

• Disenfranchisement: The widespread insecurity and the displacement of more than 270,000 people resulted in an extremely low voter turnout in the Anglophone regions.12
• Irregularities: Beyond the low participation, there were reports of voter intimidation and fraudulent activity during the electoral process.12
• Contested Results: Although opposition parties filed legal challenges regarding the election, the country’s Constitutional Council dismissed them, and incumbent Paul Biya was declared the winner with approximately 71 percent of the vote.12

The instability highlighted deep-seated tensions regarding the country's governance model, with many residents seeking a return to a federal system or full secession, issues that remained unresolved following the election.12