Chad's premier resigns after new president was sworn in

Chad's prime minister resigned on Tuesday, the day after General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno announced the appointment of a "government of national unity", N'Djamena said, after extending his two-year term as president for a period of "transition".

Albert Pahimi Padacké presented his resignation and that of his government during an audience with the head of state, who accepted them, according to a presidential statement. He was appointed 18 months ago by Mahamat Déby.

On Monday, Déby was sworn in as president for a new two-year period of transition to "free and democratic elections", which he promised 18 months ago.

On April 20, 2021, a military junta of 15 generals propelled him to the head of this vast Sahelian country after the death of his father Idriss Déby Itno, killed at the front against rebels after ruling without sharing for 30 years.

In his inaugural speech on Monday, the 38-year-old strongman of N'Djamena promised a "government of national unity" in the "very next few days" and to do everything possible for a "return to constitutional order" and "power to civilians" at the end of the transition.

The extension of this period was adopted on 1 October by a "National Reconciliation Dialogue" (boycotted by a large part of the opposition and the most powerful armed rebel groups), as well as the possibility for Mr. Déby to run for president in two years, contrary to a commitment he had made to the African Union (AU) in April 2021.

Mr. Padacké, 55, had been Prime Minister under Idriss Déby Itno and ran against him in the presidential elections of 11 April 2021. He won only 10.32% of the vote, against 79.32% for Marshal Déby, who was proclaimed president for a sixth term the day before his death was announced.

He was also a deputy and president of the parliamentary group of the National Rally for Democracy in Chad, the main ally of the Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), the all-powerful party of Mr. Déby senior.