Constitution of Cameroon

Status: Republic with executive President

Legislature: National Assembly of Cameroon

Independence: 1 January 1960

Under the constitution adopted in 1996 Cameroon is a unitary republic with an executive president – elected every seven years – who appoints the prime minister and council of ministers. The president also appoints the provincial governors, the judges and government delegates in main towns. In April 2008, Cameroon’s parliament approved a constitutional amendment allowing the president to serve for more than two terms. Presidential elections must then be conducted not less than 20 days or more than 120 days following the vacancy.

The National Assembly has 180 members, directly elected every five years by universal adult suffrage, and has three sessions a year, in March, June and November. The constitution also provides for an upper house, the Senate, with 100 members, 70 per cent of whom are elected every five years by electoral colleges comprising local government councilors and 30 per cent nominated by the President. Each region is thus represented in the Senate by ten senators, seven of whom are indirectly elected and three appointed by the president. Elections to the Senate were held for the first time on 14 April 2013.