What to know about the Central African Republic ahead of its election
Election integrity questions persist as states navigate federal mandates and voter confidence.
Central African Republic on Dec. 28 will hold presidential and legislative elections as concerns over armed groups have led to a growing reliance on Russia for security
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The coverage treats Central African Republic’s election mainly as a drama of “instability” pushing Bangui toward Moscow, as if Russia simply fills a vacuum left by fate. That framing skips the harder question: why international efforts so often deliver paperwork, not security.
Conservatives should be clear-eyed about national security realism. When armed groups control territory, ballots alone do not create legitimacy. Outsourcing protection to Russia’s mercenary networks trades one danger for another, weakening public trust and inviting influence that rarely comes with accountability.
America’s interest is not in managing every election, but in protecting institutional stability where it matters and denying adversaries easy footholds. If engagement happens, it should demand rule of law and transparent security assistance, not performative monitoring.
The principle at stake is straightforward: sovereignty is meaningless without security that answers to citizens, not foreign patrons.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.