The presidential and parliamentary elections will be held next January 23 according to a presidential decree. The elections were first supposed to have taken place last April 25, then postponed to May 16, which were in turn postponed because of excuses related to unspecified ‘technical problems’. The opposition and international donors claimed to have backed the postponement because they said the conditions at the time were not conducive to a transparent and safe election. Of course, the postponement ‘forced’ the mandate of president Bozize to be extended; it officially expired last June 11, as did the mandate for the National Assembly. Bozize reached power by way of a coup against his predecessor Ange-Felix Patassé – accession to power by way of electoral victories are the exception rather than the rule – in 2003. Patassé, who came to power by way of elections in 1993, is intending to run again. His mandate was marked by wars and accusations of embezzlement, for which he was even sentenced to 30 years hard labor. Bozize’s presidency has also been marked by conflicts with rebels, which have only been partially resolved. [AB]