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Politics of the Democratic Republic of Congo take place in the framework of a republic in transition from a civil war to a semi-presidential republic.
On 18 and 19 December 2005, a successful nationwide referendum was carried out on a draft constitution, which set the stage for elections in 2006. The voting process, though technically difficult due to the lack of infrastructure, was facilitated and organized by the Congolese Independent Electoral Commission with support from the UN mission to the Congo (MONUC). Early UN reports indicate that the voting was for the most part peaceful, but spurred violence in many parts of the war-torn east and the Kasais.
Since 1996, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been a battleground, starting with neighboring states invading Zaire, which ended the 32-year rule of Joseph Mobutu and saw Laurent-Désiré Kabila becoming the new president. These conflicts originated from the 1994 Rwanda genocide and subsequent destabilization of the DRC's eastern region. There were nine African countries involved directly, with many more offering military, financial, and political support. Internal rebellions further complicated matters. This has led to a severe humanitarian crisis.[1]
In 2001, Laurent Kabila was killed, and his son Joseph Kabila took over as the leader of the country. Under the new president's leadership, efforts were made to bring an end to the presence of foreign troops in the eastern DRC, instead a cooperative approach was adopted, focusing on diplomatic discussions to resolve conflicts. By 2002, the Pretoria Accord was achieved through negotiations known as the Inter-Congolese Dialogue. This agreement involved all warring factions, political opposition groups, and civil society, aiming to halt the fighting and establish a government of national unity. Referred to as the “Global and All-Inclusive Agreement on the Transition,” it outlined a plan toward stability, peace, and democracy in the DRC. The agreement proposed that former warring factions, civil society, and political opposition would share political, military, and economic authority during a two-year transition phase, extendable by two six-month periods. During this period, plans were made for a referendum on the post-transition constitution and the conduct of general elections.[2]
In 2006, many Congolese complained that the constitution was a rather ambiguous document and were unaware of its contents. This is due in part to the high rates of illiteracy in the country. However, interim President Kabila urged Congolese to vote 'Yes', saying the constitution is the country's best hope for peace in the future. 25 million Congolese turned out for the two-day balloting.[3][4] According to results released in January 2006, the constitution was approved by 84% of voters.[5] The new constitution also aims to decentralize authority, dividing the vast nation into 25 semi-autonomous provinces, drawn along ethnic and cultural lines.[6]
The country's first democratic elections in four decades were held on 30 July 2006.
- ^ Elections in the DRC. (n.d.-a). https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/sr200.pdf
- ^ Post-transitional elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo -. (n.d.). https://aceproject.org/today/feature-articles/post-transitional-elections-in-the-democratic-republic-of-congo
- ^ "Congo-Kinshasa: DR Congo: UN Reports Peaceful Constitutional Referendum, With Few Incidents". AllAfrica. 19 December 2005. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ "Congo-Kinshasa: DRC: Referendum Continues Into Second Day". AllAfrica. 19 December 2005. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/01/12/congo.constitution.ap/ [dead link]
- ^ http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/africa/01/12/congo.constitution.ap/ [dead link]