Can the world's most aged leader keep his position and attract a nation of youthful voters?
This planet's most aged head of state - 92-year-old Paul Biya - has promised the nation's electorate "the best is still to come" as he pursues his eighth consecutive presidential term this weekend.
The nonagenarian has already been in office since 1982 - another seven-year mandate could extend his reign for 50 years reaching almost 100.
Campaign Issues
He ignored widespread calls to leave office and drew backlash for only showing up for a single campaign event, using the majority of the campaign period on a week-and-a-half private trip to the European continent.
A backlash concerning his use of an AI-generated political commercial, as his rivals sought constituents in person, saw him rush to the northern region on his return home.
Youth Voters and Unemployment
It means that for the great bulk of the citizenry, Biya is the only president they experienced - above sixty percent of the nation's thirty million residents are below the 25 years old.
Young political activist Marie Flore Mboussi urgently wants "different faces" as she believes "extended rule naturally results in a sort of complacency".
"With 43 years passed, the people are exhausted," she declares.
Young people's joblessness has become a notable talking point for nearly all the candidates competing in the political race.
Almost 40% of youthful residents between 15-35 are without work, with twenty-three percent of recent graduates facing challenges in obtaining regular work.
Rival Candidates
Beyond young people's job issues, the election system has created dispute, particularly regarding the exclusion of an opposition leader from the presidential race.
The disqualification, confirmed by the legal authority, was broadly condemned as a strategy to block any serious competition to the incumbent.
12 aspirants were authorized to contest for the leadership position, featuring an ex-government official and another former ally - both previous Biya allies from the northern region of the nation.
Election Challenges
In Cameroon's English-speaking North-West and South-West territories, where a extended insurgency persists, an poll avoidance restriction has been enforced, stopping business activities, transport and learning.
The separatists who have enforced it have promised to target individuals who participates.
Since 2017, those working toward a separate nation have been clashing with state security.
The conflict has to date resulted in at minimum six thousand lives and forced almost five hundred thousand others from their houses.
Vote Outcome
After Sunday's vote, the highest court has 15 days to announce the findings.
The government official has previously cautioned that none of the contenders is allowed to claim success prior to official results.
"Individuals who will seek to reveal findings of the political race or any personal declaration of success contrary to the laws of the country would have violated boundaries and need to be prepared to encounter retaliatory measures commensurate to their offense."
