With political opponents incarcerated, demonstrations banned and the media in thrall, results are not expected for two weeks but, for many, Deby is the devil they know — the indispensable strongman, elected in January to chair the 54-member African Union (AU).

Having gained power in 1990, Deby’s popularity oscillated after surviving several coup attempts more than a decade ago, but strongly rebounded with the advent of Al Qaeda-linked terror groups against whose militia he has regularly deployed the army in tandem with a French military keen to enlist an effective local ally in the war on terror.

Stability