The Constitutional Council of the Central African Republic declared on Friday, November 6, 2026, that it is incompetent to interpret its decision validating Anicet-Georges Dologuélé's candidacy for the December 2025 presidential election. This decision was made in response to a dispute over Dologuélé's Central African nationality. The Council stated that its decisions are binding on all authorities, but it cannot interpret them due to limitations outlined in its organic law.
According to the Council, its power of interpretation is restricted to provisions of the Constitution, at the request of authorized authorities such as the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly, or a third of the deputies. The Council's decision emphasizes that interpreting its own decisions does not fall within its constitutional or legal previsions. This stance was taken in response to Dologuélé's request to interpret the Council's decision on November 14, 2025, which validated his candidacy.
Anicet-Georges Dologuélé had approached the Council on August 6, 2026, due to the refusal of Central African authorities to recognize his nationality and issue him a passport. The Council had previously ruled that if a person has multiple nationalities, the authorities must initiate a legal procedure to revoke their Central African nationality, which must be decreed and published in the Official Journal. The Council noted that no such decree had been issued for Dologuélé, implying he could not be required to undergo reintegration formalities.
The Constitutional Council also recalled that its decisions are not subject to appeal, as stated in Article 147 of the Constitution. These decisions are binding on public authorities, administrative and military bodies, judiciary entities, and all individuals or entities. This provision protects the Council's decisions from judicial contestation. Dologuélé had sought to clarify the Council's earlier decision to affirm his candidacy.
Following the hearing, Anicet-Georges Dologuélé stated that his intention was to reaffirm the authority of the Constitutional Council's decisions. He noted that some individuals in the country question the finality of the Council's rulings regarding his nationality. Dologuélé emphasized that the Council's president reiterated that the Council's decisions must be respected by all.
The dispute over Dologuélé's nationality arose when he was refused a passport by Central African authorities. His candidacy for the presidential election was validated, but the issue of his nationality has persisted. The Constitutional Council's latest ruling aims to put an end to speculations about its decisions and reassert its authority.
The case highlights the complexities surrounding electoral eligibility and nationality in the Central African Republic. Anicet-Georges Dologuélé's situation has drawn attention to the need for clarity on nationality laws and the role of the Constitutional Council in interpreting these laws. The Council's stance underscores the importance of respecting its decisions and the constitutional framework governing its functions.
Key points
- The Central African Republic's Constitutional Council has declared itself incompetent to interpret its own decisions.
- Anicet-Georges Dologuélé's nationality has been a point of contention in his bid for the presidential election.
- The Council's decisions are binding and not subject to appeal, according to Article 147 of the Constitution.
