Cameroon Ruling Party Wins Another Massive Majority in Parliament

Cameroonian President Paul Biya's ruling party, in power for three decades, kept its grip on a massive parliamentary majority by sweeping up 148 of 180 seats, official election results showed Thursday.

However despite the victory, Biya's Cameroonian People's Democratic Movement (RDPC) lost five lawmakers compared to the 153 seats held previously.

Biya, 80, has ruled the central African nation since 1982, having taken steps to prolong his time in office, and his party is often accused by the opposition of electoral fraud and using state funds to finance election campaigns.

The Social Democratic Front (SDP) remains the main opposition party, and won 18 seats in the September 30 election, two more than held previously.

The RDPC also won a crushing victory in local elections held on the same day.

More than 40 submissions were made to the Supreme Court seeking the partial annulment of the vote, none of which were successful.

The government announced campaign funding totaling 1.7 billion CFA francs ($3.5 million, 2.6 million euros) and recently made half that sum available to parties contesting the election.