In March 2022, Daniele Darlan, then president of the Central African Republic’s Constitutional Court, faced intense pressure to amend the constitution so President Faustin‑Archange Touadéra could seek a third term. The pressure came from local politicians and Russian diplomats, but Darlan remained steadfast, insisting that the constitution could not be undermined. “The constitution is the fundamental law. It’s the text on which all other laws and regulations are based,” she told VOA in French. “If you don’t respect the constitution, if you violate it, it sets off a chain reaction of violations. It means that you don’t have to respect any law or any rule.”
In October 2022 Darlan was removed from her position, clearing the way for Touadéra to stay in power. The international community reacted swiftly. U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, “Judicial independence is a central tenet of democracy,” and called on Central African authorities to ensure the safety and independence of the Constitutional Court. A U.N. independent expert on human‑rights, Yao Agbetse, added that the court must be free from internal and external political interference. Despite the personal cost, Darlan said she does not regret her stand. “As a constitutional judge and president of the Constitutional Court I am a guardian of the constitution,” she told VOA in a one‑on‑one interview at the State Department. “At that moment, I had to make sure that the constitution would be respected. In this sense I only did my job.” Nicknamed the “Woman of Iron,” she was later honored with a 2023 International Women of Courage Award presented by the State Department.
The Central African Republic has also entered a controversial security agreement with the Wagner Group, a Kremlin‑controlled paramilitary mercenary company that provides security to the president and is deeply embedded in the nation’s economy. Darlan said that while the population initially welcomed the Russian fighters, hopes have since been dashed. “The impact, unfortunately, has not been positive,” she said. “If at first the population was happy because Wagner was combatting certain armed groups, afterward that was no longer the case.” Human‑rights advocates accuse Wagner of numerous abuses against civilians and the Central African armed forces. “Wagner has committed many abuses against the population and the armed forces. Little by little, there has been a rejection. At the beginning they were seen as saviors, but now the population has begun to realize they were not what they expected and are demanding they leave,” Darlan explained.
This erosion of the rule of law is not limited to the Central African Republic. Across Africa, presidents have amended constitutions to cling to power, and soldiers have seized authority by force. Darlan, who has devoted her life to upholding the rule of law, expressed deep concern over this trend. She said presidents who cling to power do so out of fear: “Once you run a country poorly, mismanage public funds, and favor friends and family, you fear leaving power because you worry you won’t be protected.” She hopes more African leaders will follow the example of those who willingly relinquish power and enjoy a quiet retirement. “I think heads of state who lead with good governance do not want to stay in power because they know when they leave they’ll be safe,” she said. “There won’t be a judicial pursuit, they don’t have illicit funds. They are at ease, and they are loved by their population.”
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