The election of the President of the Republic shall be direct and shall be held every five (5) years by universal suffrage and by secret ballot. In the case of only one candidate being nominated, the candidate shall be proclaimed as President of the Republic without a vote.
If there is more than one candidate, a vote shall be held and the candidate receiving more than 50 % of the total number of valid votes shall be elected President of the Republic. If no candidate receives the required number of votes, the election shall resume on the corresponding day of the following week among the two candidates who have obtained the highest number of valid votes. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes cast in the re-election shall be elected President of the Republic.
The election of a new President of the Republic shall take place before the expiry of the five-year term of office of the outgoing President, so as to allow the investiture of the new President on the day on which that period ends.