Electoral distrust, state repression, and the ritualization of democracy in Cameroon’s 2025 presidential election

Abstract

This paper examines how systemic distrust, institutional failure, and state repression converged to undermine electoral legitimacy in Cameroon's 2025 presidential elections. Drawing on original survey data (n=200), electoral statistics, and anthropological theory, the study employs a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative survey analysis with qualitative interviews (n=35) to investigate voter disengagement and perceptions of electoral fairness. Survey findings reveal that 92% of respondents cite lack of trust in the electoral system as their primary reason for disengagement, while 70% express disillusionment with the Constitutional Council's candidate vetting process. Voter turnout declined to 54% (from 58% in 2018), signaling a deepening crisis of participation. Over 60 protest-related deaths followed the 2025 results, manifesting a broken social contract where state coercion replaces consent. Framed anthropologically, election-related violence is interpreted not as an aberration but as a logical outcome of colonial-era governance structures that prioritize elite continuity over civic representation. The paper argues that Cameroon's elections function less as mechanisms of democratic choice than as ritualized performances of power that legitimize violence while deepening public alienation.     Received Date: June 19, 2026 Accepted Date: July 10, 2026 Published Date: August 01, 2026 Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/878