Paul Biya

Paul Biya
Biya at the Metropolitan Museum o Airt (2009)
Preses o Cameroon
Incumbent
Assumed office 6 November 1982
Prime Meenister	Bello Bouba Maigari Luc Ayang Sadou Hayatou Simon Achidi Achu Peter Mafany Musonge Ephraïm Inoni Philémon Yang
Precedit bi	Ahmadou Ahidjo
Prime Meenister o Cameroon
In office 30 Juin 1975 – 6 November 1982
Preses	Ahmadou Ahidjo
Precedit bi	Affice established
Succeedit bi	Bello Bouba Maigari
Personal details
Born	(1933-02-13) 13 Februar 1933 Mvomeka'a, French Cameroons (nou Cameroon)
Poleetical pairty	Fowk's Democratic Movement
Spoose(s)	Jeanne-Irène Biya (Afore 1992) Chantal Vigouroux (1994–present)
Alma mater	French Naitional Schuil o Admeenistration Sciences Po
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Paul Biya (born Paul Barthélemy Biya'a bi Mvondo, 13 February 1933) is a Cameroonie politeecian who haes been the Preses o Cameroon syne 6 November 1982. A native o Cameroon's sooth, Biya rose rapidly as a bureaucrat unner Preses Ahmadou Ahidjo in the 1960s, servin as Secretar-General o the Presidency frae 1968 tae 1975 an then as Prime Meenister o Cameroon frae 1975 tae 1982. He succeedit Ahidjo as Preses upon the latter's surprise resignation in 1982 an consolidatit pouer in a 1983–1984 pouer struggle wi his predecessor.

Biya introduced poleetical reforms within the context o a single-pairty seestem in the 1980s. Unner pressur, he acceptit the introduction o multipairty politics in the early 1990s. He narrowly wan the 1992 presidential election wi 40% o the plural, single-ballot vote an wis re-electit bi lairge margins in 1997, 2004, an 2011. Opposition politeecians an Wastren govrenments hae alleged votin irregularities an fraud on each o these occasions.

Biya has maintained Cameroon's close relationship wi Fraunce, Cameroon's umwhile colonial ruler.