For years, the political party Les Transformateurs, led by Chadian figure Succès Masra, maintained a vibrant presence, characterized by frequent social media broadcasts, regular public meetings, and consistent organizational gatherings. Masra, who briefly served as Prime Minister from January to May 2024, has now been incarcerated for over a year, marking a significant shift in the party’s dynamic.
In May 2025, Succès Masra, then 41, faced arrest, trial, and conviction on charges of “disseminating hateful and xenophobic messages” and “complicity in murder.” These accusations stemmed from intercommunal violence between farmers and herders that erupted days earlier in Mandakao, a southern Chadian locality. These recurring clashes had tragically claimed around forty lives, according to official reports. The opposition leader was specifically accused of publishing an audio message that allegedly urged certain communities to arm themselves for defense. Investigations later revealed this audio actually dated back to 2023. For these offenses, Masra received a twenty-year prison sentence and a fine of 1 billion CFA francs (approximately 1,500,000 euros). This sentence was upheld on appeal on May 21. Despite his previous statements emphasizing that “the life of no Chadian should be trivialized,” this definitive conviction renders him permanently ineligible for public office under electoral law.
With its charismatic leader now absent, the future of Les Transformateurs appears increasingly uncertain. Established in 2018, the party rapidly emerged as a prominent political force in Chad. Its president, a renowned orator, successfully captivated and mobilized a youth demographic eager for a leader embodying renewal, particularly one disillusioned by the entrenched, traditional political class perceived as incapable of offering a genuine alternative to the ruling family – Idriss Déby Itno and, currently, his son Mahamat – which has dominated the nation since the December 1, 1990 coup. Political observers note that a substantial portion of the youth, frustrated by systemic exclusions, saw in Succès Masra a fresh personality who could address the various vulnerabilities they faced.
A presidential runner-up, then a boycott too far
Following the tragic events of October 20, 2022, when protests called by Les Transformateurs against the extension of the transitional period were met with a bloody crackdown, Succès Masra was compelled to seek exile in the United States for over a year. Upon his return, facilitated by mediation from Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi under the African Union’s auspices, he accepted the role of Prime Minister during Phase II of the transition. This transitional phase had commenced in 2021 after the death of Idriss Déby Itno during an attack by rebels from the Front for Alternation and Concord in Chad. In this capacity, Masra became a key architect in organizing the May 2024 presidential election. On January 7 of that year, during a broadcast on national television, he notably commended the establishment of the National Agency for Election Management (ANGE), the body tasked with organizing ballots, replacing the former Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). However, months later, he disputed the election results, where his party secured second place with 18.54% of the vote.
Against the ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), the party founded by Idriss Déby, no other political formation had achieved a better score than Les Transformateurs in 2024. Since 1996, the year of the first election following the coup against Hissène Habré, the opposition’s highest score had been Ngarlejy Yorongar’s 16.35% in 2001.
Not reappointed to the premiership after the presidential election, Masra subsequently refused to participate in the legislative and municipal elections intended to conclude the transition period. Analysts suggested that with over 18% in the presidential vote, Les Transformateurs were poised to secure significant representation (estimated 18 to 24 deputies) in the National Assembly, potentially becoming the country’s second-largest political force. By boycotting these polls, Succès Masra inadvertently deprived his party of an institutional foundation and the legitimacy conferred by the ballot box. It is believed that after engaging with the authorities, Masra recognized his political miscalculation and sought to demonstrate his return to opposition through impactful actions, including the boycott of legislative and communal elections.
Inconsistent stances alienate supporters
Since these events, the MPS has governed with an overwhelming majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate. This political landscape is unlikely to change before 2031, the year of the next presidential election, given that the 2025 constitutional revision extended presidential terms from five to seven years and legislative terms from four to six years.
The story, however, did not end there. On January 28, 2025, during a live social media broadcast, the leader of Les Transformateurs declared his acceptance “to work with the President of the Republic for the stability and development of the country.” He expressed readiness “to collaborate with Marshal Mahamat Idriss Déby, to bring, with everyone, the added value of [his] political force to this republican endeavor in service of the Chadian people.”
Masra’s shifting political positions – from contesting the transition’s extension to accepting the Prime Minister post, then participating in the presidential election only to boycott legislative polls – have caused considerable irritation within his own party. Academics, artists, political leaders, young graduates, and ordinary citizens had flocked to Les Transformateurs, a party that nurtured many young talents. Throughout its eight years of what Masra termed “struggle,” some militants endured severe consequences, including imprisonment or even loss of life. Yet, many have since sought new paths, sometimes drawn by the allure of power. Succès Masra now struggles to retain key figures, including close collaborators and co-founders of the party.
Moustapha Masri, a co-founder and vice-president, resigned days after the October 20, 2022 events. Subsequently, he launched his own political movement before being appointed Deputy Civil Chief of Staff to the Presidency in January 2024. By April, he was promoted to Minister of State, Secretary General of the Presidency. Over three years after leaving Les Transformateurs, Moustapha Masri has become a central figure in the government and a close associate of the head of state. His party, Peace and Social Cohesion, established in 2023, even fielded a candidate in partial legislative elections held on June 21 following the passing of a deputy.
A wave of resignations
Another resignation that garnered significant attention was that of Sitack Yombatina Béni. An academic, doctor of law, and lecturer at the University of N’Djamena, he was part of Masra’s inner circle. On August 12, 2025, he announced via social media his decision to resign from his position as vice-president of Les Transformateurs and to leave the party, citing a conscious, lucid, free, and independent choice. This announcement came shortly after Masra’s trial verdict and his subsequent appointment of Hoinathy Moh Ndomal Claudia as interim president. While Sitack Yombatina officially presented his departure as a personal decision, many observers link it to this appointment. The event even sparked comments within the highest echelons of the state, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs stating, “When one feels useless and scorned, the only option is to leave.” Following a cabinet reshuffle on April 1, Yombatina was appointed Minister of Higher Education in Prime Minister Allamaye Halina’s third government.
Mahamat Assouyouti, a close confidant of Masra who held the Economy portfolio during Masra’s premiership, was appointed Director General of the state-owned Chad Petroleum Company on May 11. Finally, Les Transformateurs suffered a profound loss with the death of Rays’Kim, whose civil name was Djasrabé Kimassoum Yilmian. A committed artist and early activist, he served as the party’s spokesperson and a fervent supporter of Masra until his passing due to illness on October 6, 2025. His demise represents an immense blow to the party.
Les Transformateurs are undoubtedly looking towards the next electoral cycle, the general elections of 2031. However, the government could potentially introduce a requirement for any party wishing to contest national elections to demonstrate at least one elected official. Such a provision exists in other nations; for instance, in Cameroon, Maurice Kamto and his party were prevented from participating in the last presidential election after boycotting previous polls, thereby lacking elective representation.
Reduced to a minor party?
Deprived of their leader, would Les Transformateurs accept presenting an alternative candidate? While a presidential pardon has been frequently discussed, only an amnesty could enable Succès Masra to participate in future elections. This scenario echoes the 2021 episode when the then 39-year-old opposition figure refused to field a substitute candidate, as he did not meet the age requirement (then 40, now 35) to run for the highest office.
Between legal constraints, political calculations, and potential revisions to electoral rules, the equation remains complex for Les Transformateurs. Their ability to remain a viable force in the next electoral cycle will hinge as much on the evolution of the institutional framework as on their capacity to adapt their strategy. All this unfolds within a context of democratic tightening and a political environment dominated by a party that, by 2031, will have accumulated four decades in power.
Despite the initial challenges and the current difficulties facing his party, Succès Masra has undeniably etched the name of Les Transformateurs into the annals of Chadian political history. Amid contradictions attributed to their president, governmental maneuvers aimed at further diminishing their influence, and successive defections, will Les Transformateurs manage to reclaim their position as the leading opposition party? Or will they be relegated to the sidelines, joining the ranks of hundreds of smaller parties that already populate the Chadian political landscape?
