Gabon, the oil-rich Central African nation, went to the polls on Saturday for its first legislative and local elections since the 2023 military coup that ended more than five decades of rule by the Bongo political dynasty.
More than 900,000 registered voters cast ballots to elect 145 members of the National Assembly, including two seats representing Gabonese citizens abroad, as well as local councilors who will in turn choose senators, mayors, and regional assembly leaders. The vote marks a significant step in the country’s transition back to constitutional democracy under President Gen. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, who seized power in August 2023 and won the presidency in April 2025.
Polling stations opened across the country, with voting delayed in some parts of Libreville due to early rains. The process remained largely peaceful, though one constituency in Ntoum saw voting canceled amid tensions between candidates. Counting began immediately after polls closed, with first results expected on Sunday.
The electoral contest pits the once-dominant Gabonese Democratic Party — in power from its founding in 1968 until last year’s coup — against the newly formed Democratic Union of Builders (UDB), created just three months ago by President Oligui Nguema. Several smaller opposition parties are also participating despite limited resources.
The elections come under a new constitution adopted in 2024, which strengthens presidential authority while limiting the legislature’s power to challenge government. A revised electoral code also permitted military personnel, including Oligui Nguema, to stand for office.
Since taking office, Oligui Nguema has pledged reforms aimed at reducing youth unemployment, diversifying Gabon’s oil-dependent economy, and improving basic infrastructure such as roads and access to clean water. The country faces high unemployment among graduates and limited public services.
While several African nations have expelled French troops in recent years, Gabon continues to host a French military base in Libreville, now shared with the Gabonese army.
If no candidate secures an absolute majority in the first round, a runoff will be held on October 11.
