List of heads of state of Chad facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of theRepublic of Chad |
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![]() Coat of arms of Chad
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Style |
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Residence | Presidential Palace, N'Djamena |
Term length | Five years,
renewable once
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Constituting instrument | Constitution of Chad (2023) |
Inaugural holder | François Tombalbaye |
Formation | 23 April 1962 |
Deputy | President of the National Assembly |
Salary | 800,000 FCFA / month |
Website | Presidency of Chad |
The President of Chad is the country's main leader. This person is the head of state and also the commander-in-chief of Chad's army. It is the most important job in the government. The president is chosen by the people in an election. They serve for five years and can be re-elected once.
So far, seven people have been the head of state in Chad. One person, Goukouni Oueddei, held the position two separate times.
The current president is Mahamat Déby. He officially became president on May 23, 2024. Before that, he was a temporary president starting in 2022. He also led the Transitional Military Council from 2021. This happened after his father, the previous president Idriss Déby, passed away during a conflict in 2021.
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Presidential Term Limits
In 2018, Chad's new Constitution set rules for how long a president can serve. It said a president could only serve two terms. It also changed the length of each term from five years to six years.
However, in 2023, the people of Chad voted in a special election. They decided to change the term length back to five years. They also made it possible for someone to become president at a younger age. The minimum age was changed from 40 down to 35.
Different Titles for Chad's Leader
Over the years, the leader of Chad has been called by different names. Here are some of the titles used:
- 1960–1962: Head of State
- 1962–1975: President of the Republic
- 1975 : Chairman of the Supreme Military Council
- 1975–1978: Head of State
- 1978–1979: President of the Republic
- 1979 : Chairman of the Provisional Council of State
- 1979 : President of the Transitional Government of National Unity
- 1979 : Chairman of the Provisional Administrative Committee
- 1979–1982: President of the Transitional Government of National Unity
- 1982 : Chairman of the Command Council of the Armed Forces of the North
- 1982 : Chairman of the Council of State
- 1982–1990: President of the Republic
- 1990 : President of the Patriotic Salvation Movement
- 1990–1991: President of the Council of State
- 1991–2021: President of the Republic
- 2021–2022: President of the Transitional Military Council
- 2022–2024: Transitional President of the Republic
- 2024–present: President of the Republic
Who Has Been President?
This section lists the people who have served as Chad's head of state. It also shows which political group they belonged to.
- Political parties
Chadian Progressive Party (PPT) → National Movement for the Cultural and Social Revolution (MNRCS) National Liberation Front of Chad (FROLINAT)–People's Armed Forces (FAP) Popular Movement for the Liberation of Chad (MPLT) Armed Forces of the North (FAN) / National Union for Independence and Revolution (UNIR) Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS)
- Other groups
Military (Chadian Armed Forces and Chad National Army)
- Status
Interim Head of State
- Symbols
Constitutional referendum
No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Elected | Term of office | Political party | Prime minister(s) | |||
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Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||||
1 | ![]() |
François Tombalbaye (1918–1975) |
1962 1969 |
11 August 1960 | 13 April 1975 (Assassinated in a coup) |
14 years, 245 days | PPT until 1973 renamed to MNRCS |
Position not established | |
– | ![]() |
Noël Milarew Odingar (1932–2007) |
— | 13 April 1975 | 15 April 1975 | 2 days | Military | Position not established | |
2 | ![]() |
Félix Malloum (1932–2009) |
— | 15 April 1975 | 23 March 1979 (Resigned) |
3 years, 342 days | Military | Habré | |
– | ![]() |
Goukouni Oueddei (born 1944) |
— | 23 March 1979 | 29 April 1979 | 37 days | FROLINAT–FAP | Position vacant | |
3 | ![]() |
Lol Mahamat Choua (1939–2019) |
— | 29 April 1979 | 3 September 1979 | 127 days | MPLT | Position vacant | |
4 | ![]() |
Goukouni Oueddei (born 1944) |
— | 3 September 1979 | 7 June 1982 (Deposed in a coup) |
2 years, 277 days | FROLINAT–FAP | Ngardoum (from 19 May 1982) |
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5 | ![]() |
Hissène Habré (1942–2021) |
1989 | 7 June 1982 | 2 December 1990 (Deposed in a coup) |
8 years, 178 days | FAN / UNIR | Ngardoum (until 19 June 1982) |
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– | ![]() |
Idriss Déby (1952–2021) |
— | 2 December 1990 | 28 February 1991 | 88 days | MPS | Position abolished | |
6 | 1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021 |
28 February 1991 | 20 April 2021 (Killed in action) |
30 years, 51 days | Bawoyeu Yodoyman Moungar Koumakoye Djimasta Ouaido Yamassoum Kabadi Faki Yoadimnadji Younousmi Koumakoye Abbas Nadingar Dadnadji Deubet Padacké |
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– | ![]() |
Mahamat Déby (born 1984) |
— | 20 April 2021 | Incumbent | 4 years, 97 days | Military / MPS | Padacké Kebzabo Masra Halina |
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7 | 2024 |
Timeline of Chad's Leaders
This timeline shows when each president or head of state served and which political group they were part of.

Recent Presidential Election
The most recent election for president in Chad was held in 2024. Here are the results:
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
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Mahamat Déby | Patriotic Salvation Movement | 3,777,279 | 61.00 | |
Succès Masra | Les Transformateurs | 1,148,245 | 18.54 | |
Albert Pahimi Padacké | National Rally for Democracy in Chad | 1,048,015 | 16.93 | |
Lydie Beassemda | Party for Integral Democracy and Independence | 59,632 | 0.96 | |
Théophile Bongoro | Party for Rally and Equity in Chad | 46,784 | 0.76 | |
Alladoum Djarma | Chadian Socialist Action for Renewal | 33,765 | 0.55 | |
Brice Guedmbaye | Movement of Patriotic Chadians for the Republic | 27,848 | 0.45 | |
Yacine Abdramane Sakine | Reformist Party | 22,328 | 0.36 | |
Mansiri Lopsikréo | Les Élites | 15,147 | 0.24 | |
Nasra Djimasngar | A New Day | 12,738 | 0.21 | |
Total | 6,191,781 | 100.00 | ||
Valid votes | 6,191,781 | 99.62 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 23,463 | 0.38 | ||
Total votes | 6,215,244 | 100.00 | ||
Registered voters/turnout | 8,202,207 | 75.78 | ||
Source: Africa 24 |
See also
- Politics of Chad
- List of prime ministers of Chad
- Vice President of Chad
- History of Chad
- List of colonial governors of Chad