List of heads of state of Chad

This is a list of heads of state of Chad since the country gained independence from France in 1960 to the present day.

President of the Republic of Chad
رئيس جمهورية تشاد (Arabic) Président de la République du Tchad (French)
Coat of arms of Chad
Incumbent Mahamat Déby since 20 April 2021[note 1]
Residence	Presidential Palace, N'Djamena
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Chad (2018)
Inaugural holder	François Tombalbaye
Formation	23 April 1962; 63 years ago (1962-04-23)
Salary	800,000 FCFA / month
Website	Presidency of Chad

A total of six people have served as head of state of Chad (not counting two Interim Heads of State). Additionally, one person, Goukouni Oueddei, has served on two non-consecutive occasions.

The current head of state of Chad is Mahamat Déby, since 20 April 2021, when he took power in a military coup following the death of his father, President Idriss Déby. Mahamat Déby was President of the Transitional Military Council, a military junta, from 20 April 2021 until 10 October 2022, when he was sworn is as Transitional President of the Republic following a "national dialogue".^[1][2] On 6 May 2024, Déby won the presidential election^[3] and was proclaimed President on 23 May.^[4]

Term limits

In 2018, the new Constitution of Chad reinstated two-term limits for the president. It also changed the length of the term from five years to six years.^[5] However, in 2023, a constitutional referendum was held which changed the length of the term from six years back to five years and which also lowered the minimum age for the presidency from 40 down to 35.^[6]

Titles

• 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^[7]
• 2022–2024: Transitional President of the Republic^[1][2]
• 2024–present: President of the Republic

List of officeholders

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 factions

  Military (Chadian Armed Forces and Chad National Army)

Status

  Interim Head of State

Symbols

^C Constitutional referendum

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party	Prime minister(s)
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		François Tombalbaye (1918–1975)[a]	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
3		Goukouni Oueddei (born 1944)	—	23 March 1979	29 April 1979	37 days	FROLINAT–FAP	Position vacant
4		Lol Mahamat Choua (1939–2019)	—	29 April 1979	3 September 1979	127 days	MPLT	Position vacant
(3)		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)
5		Hissène Habré (1942–2021)	1989[C]	7 June 1982	2 December 1990 (Deposed in a coup)	8 years, 178 days	FAN / UNIR	Ngardoum (until 19 June 1982)
6		Idriss Déby (1952–2021)	1996 2001 2006 2011 2016 2021	2 December 1990	20 April 2021 (Killed in action)	30 years, 139 days	Military / MPS	Bawoyeu Yodoyman Moungar Koumakoye Djimasta Ouaido Yamassoum Kabadi Faki Yoadimnadji Younousmi Koumakoye Abbas Nadingar Dadnadji Deubet Padacké
7		Mahamat Déby (born 1984)	2024	20 April 2021	Incumbent	4 years, 50 days	Military / MPS	Padacké Kebzabo Masra Halina

Timeline

Latest election

Main article: 2024 Chadian presidential election

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	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 [fr]	59,632	0.96
	Théophile Bongoro [fr]	Party for Rally and Equity in Chad	46,784	0.76
	Alladoum Djarma [ha]	Chadian Socialist Action for Renewal	33,765	0.55
	Brice Guedmbaye [ha]	Movement of Patriotic Chadians for the Republic	27,848	0.45
	Yacine Abdramane Sakine [fr]	Reformist Party [fr]	22,328	0.36
	Mansiri Lopsikréo [fr]	Les Élites	15,147	0.24
	Nasra Djimasngar [fr]	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
• List of colonial governors of Chad

Notes

1. As President of the Transitional Military Council until 10 October 2022,^[1][2] and as Transitional President until 23 May 2024.

1. Changed name to N’Garta Tombalbaye on 30 August 1973 due to the policy of Africanization.