BANGUI, Central African Republic — The top court in the Central African Republic on Friday cleared President Faustin Archange Touadera to run in December’s election, a contest that will unfold amid a deepening security crisis and the leader's growing reliance on Russia for protection.

The Central African Republic's constitutional court approved Touadera's candidacy alongside prominent opposition leader Anicet Georges Dologuélé and five other candidates for the Dec. 28 vote.

The court rejected a recent petition that sought to disqualify Touadera on the grounds of not meeting the criteria for running for the presidency.

Touadera, who has led the country since 2016 and was reelected in 2021, is one of Russia's closest allies in Africa. Central African Republic is one of the first countries

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