Opposition Condemns Designation of Chad’s Military Ruler as Presidential Candidate 

FILE - People wait to cast their votes during the constitutional referendum at a polling station in N'Djamena, Dec. 17, 2023. Military ruler Mahamat Idriss Deby is the party's candidate for the central African state’s presidential elections expected later this year. FILE - President of Chad's Transition Council Mahamat Idriss Deby attends Independence Day celebrations in N'Djamena, Aug. 11, 2023.

Opposition parties in Chad are condemning the entry of the country’s military ruler into the 2024 presidential race. General Mahamat Idriss Deby seized power after his father’s death, declared himself interim president, and pushed through a new constitution which enables him to run for president in this year's delayed elections.