Cameroon restores Vice President role through constitutional amendment

Yaoundé, April 4, 2026 - Cameroon’s Parliament has approved a constitutional amendment reinstating the position of Vice President, a post that had been abolished in 1972. The amendment was passed by an overwhelming majority of lawmakers in the National Assembly and Senate, according to official parliamentary figures. The new provisions establish that the Vice President would assume the presidency in the event of death or incapacitation of the Head of State, while certain constitutional powers would remain reserved exclusively for the President. The revised framework also allows the President to appoint and dismiss the Vice President, who would serve alongside the Head of State for a defined term. The move is widely seen as part of efforts to formalize succession arrangements in Cameroon’s political system, amid ongoing discussions about long-term governance stability. President Paul Biya has remained in office since 1982, making him one of the world’s longest-serving heads of state. The last time Cameroon had a Vice President was in the early 1970s before the position was abolished.