List of heads of state of the Central African Republic
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There have been eight heads of state of the Central African Republic and the Central African Empire since independence from France on 13 August 1960. This list includes not only those persons who were sworn into office as President of the Central African Republic but also those who served as de facto heads of state.
Jean-Bédel Bokassa served as a de facto head of state (and also reigned as emperor from 1976 to 1979), while David Dacko (who served as de facto head of state from 1979 to 1981), André Kolingba, Ange-Félix Patassé, and François Bozizé were elected into office at some point during their tenure. To date, Kolingba is the only former head of state of the Central African Republic to voluntarily step down from the office through a democratic process, following the 1993 general election.
The current president of the Central African Republic is Faustin-Archange Touadéra, since 30 March 2016. The president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
Succession
Before the adoption of the 2023 constitution, the president of the National Assembly was the constitutional successor of the president in the event of a vacancy.
Term
Before the adoption of the 2023 constitution, there was a two-term limit for the president in the Constitution of the Central African Republic. The term limit was not met by any president. The constitution of 2023 removed term-limits and extended the presidential term from five years to seven years.
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