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Burundi's ruling party, the CNDD-FDD, has officially designated the incumbent president, Évariste Ndayishimiye, as its candidate for the presidential election scheduled for 2027. A long-anticipated decision that confirms the desire for continuity at the head of state in a political context largely dominated by the ruling formation.

Gathered in extraordinary congress in Gitega this Sunday, CNDD-FDD officials ratified the candidacy of the head of state, thereby consolidating his position as the undisputed leader of the party. Since coming to power in 2020, following the death of Pierre Nkurunziza, Ndayishimiye has established himself as the central figure of the Burundian political system.

Elected in the first round during the 2020 ballot, he remains the favorite for the 2027 election today, in a political landscape where the opposition struggles to assert itself. The Burundian Constitution allows the president to serve seven-year terms renewable once. Within this framework, Ndayishimiye's candidacy for a second term is fully in line with the law.

Since taking power, the Burundian president has attempted to project a more open image than that of his predecessor. Certain measures, such as the release of journalists or signals sent to the international community, have been perceived as gestures of appeasement.

However, these efforts remain tempered by persistent criticism from human rights organizations, which denounce continued restrictions on public freedoms and a limited political space for opponents.