Cameroon held legislative and municipal elections on February 9, 2020. The country’s English-speaking regions of the North West (NWR) and South West (SWR) have been in the grip of a violent separatist conflict since 2017.

There was low voter turnout due to increased violence in the NWR and SWR during the polls as separatists called for a lock-down. Regardless, the elections took place. This has been the mood since 2018. The state organised senatorial and presidential elections without a ceasefire in these regions.

The elections show that the new parliament will not to solve the conflict as the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) is set to win the elections. This is because the special status adopted during the national dialogue in late 2019 and rejected by the separatists will be implemented and will not be successfully challenged by the opposition.

Read why the polls will not end the separatist violence through this link.