The proportion of young people registered on the electoral lists during the 2026 revision campaign is double the number of adults recorded. The figure seems to be revealing in more than one way.
The figures released by the General Directorate of Elections at the end of the electoral list revision campaign covering the period from early January to late August 2026 are telling. They reveal the enthusiasm of a good part of the youth to participate in the country’s political affairs. According to these figures, 169,225 young people, including 103,230 young men and 65,995 young women, were registered during the 2026 campaign, compared to 83,605 adults over 35 years old. This corresponds to a registration rate of young people under 35 years old of 66.93% versus 33.07% for adults over 35 years old.
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The proportion of young people subtly indicates the weight they can have in the electoral register and on the results of an election. Their number is double that of adults because this group includes young people who have just reached the voting age set at 20 years and those who, having reached it a few years ago, want to take an interest in politics.
Moreover, this group is among the densest within the Cameroonian population. It is a component of the 15 to 35 age group, which constitutes 35 to 36% of the population of Cameroon, according to the National Institute of Statistics. Along with women and people living with disabilities, youth is one of Elecam’s privileged targets. The communication campaigns encouraging citizens to register on the electoral lists deployed in recent months by Elecam have targeted these social categories, which often show reluctance towards political affairs.
These hesitations are explained by the fact that political positions are largely attributed to experienced men, while young people and women accompany them. The disinterest of young people was also partly explained by another discourse from elders inciting fear by making young people believe that politics is dangerous.
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However, thanks to the argument of numbers, youth can force election candidates to comply with their demands during electoral consultations. They can exert their influence on the choice of candidates by favoring those who present projects favorable to solving their problems. This particularly concerns reducing unemployment, which affects about 35% of young people aged 15 to 35 in 2024 according to World Bank data, underemployment, difficulties accessing land, difficulties accessing decision-making spheres, poor living conditions, and many others.
Looking at the initiative of young people who want to run for seats in municipal councils and the National Assembly in 2027, the figures from the 2026 revision campaign indicate a certain trend towards awareness among youth determined to take the reins to change their country.
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