2018 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election
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| 2018 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election | |
|---|---|
| Election name | 2018 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election |
| Country | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Type | presidential |
| Previous election | 2011 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election |
| Previous year | 2011 |
| Next election | 2023 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election |
| Next year | 2023 |
| Election date | 30 December 2018 |
| Seats for election | President and National Assembly |
| Turnout | 47.56% |
| Candidate1 | Félix Tshisekedi |
| Party1 | Union for Democracy and Social Progress |
| Alliance1 | Cap pour le changement |
| Popular vote1 | 7,051,013 |
| Percentage1 | 38.57% |
| Candidate2 | Martin Fayulu |
| Party2 | Dynamique de l'opposition |
| Popular vote2 | 6,366,732 |
| Percentage2 | 34.83% |
| Candidate3 | Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary |
| Party3 | People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy |
| Popular vote3 | 4,357,359 |
| Percentage3 | 23.84% |
| Title | President |
| Before election | Joseph Kabila |
| Before party | People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy |
| After election | Félix Tshisekedi |
| After party | Union for Democracy and Social Progress |
2018 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election was a pivotal event marking the first potential democratic transfer of power in the country since independence from Belgium. Held on 30 December 2018, the polls elected a new President and members of the National Assembly, concluding the 18-year rule of Joseph Kabila. The election was marred by significant delays, logistical failures, and widespread allegations of fraud, leading to a protracted political crisis and international scrutiny.
Background
The election was mandated by the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which limits a president to two terms, a provision Joseph Kabila had reached at the end of his second term in 2016. Kabila's refusal to step down, supported by rulings from the Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, triggered massive protests, such as those organized by the Laïcité Committee, and violent crackdowns by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A political agreement, the Saint Sylvester Agreement, brokered by the Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and supported by the African Union, postponed the vote and established a transitional government under Prime Minister Bruno Tshibala. The delay exacerbated instability in regions like Kasai and Kivu, where conflicts involving groups like the Allied Democratic Forces continued.
Electoral system
The President was elected using a first-past-the-post system in a single round, a change from the previous two-round system, as dictated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). The 500 members of the National Assembly were elected from 181 constituencies using an open list proportional representation system. The CENI, led by Corneille Nangaa, faced severe criticism for its management and the controversial decision to exclude over a million voters from areas like Beni and Butembo due to security concerns and an ongoing Ebola outbreak.
Candidates and campaign
The ruling coalition, the Front Commun pour le Congo, nominated former Interior Minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary as its candidate. The opposition was initially united behind a single candidate chosen via the Lamuka coalition, but a contentious primary process saw Martin Fayulu selected over Félix Tshisekedi and Moïse Katumbi, the latter being barred from running. In a surprise political realignment, Tshisekedi's Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) formed the Cap pour le changement (CACH) coalition with Vital Kamerhe's Union for the Congolese Nation, breaking from the opposition pact. The campaign period was marked by restrictions, internet shutdowns, and the banning of rallies for candidates like Jean-Pierre Bemba, whose candidacy was rejected by CENI.
Conduct and controversies
The voting process was chaotic, with widespread reports of malfunctioning electronic voting machines supplied by the South Korean company Miru Systems, late opening of polling stations, and missing voter rolls. Observers from the Catholic Church and groups like the SYMOCEL deployed thousands of monitors, documenting numerous irregularities. After the vote, the CENI faced accusations of secretly tallying results, leading to a major dispute when the church's own parallel vote tabulation, conducted via the CENCO observation mission, indicated a different winner. The subsequent announcement of results was delayed by a week amid intense pressure from the Southern African Development Community and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Results
On 10 January 2019, CENI declared Félix Tshisekedi the winner with 38.57% of the vote, followed by Martin Fayulu with 34.83% and Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary with 23.84%. The results for the National Assembly saw the Front Commun pour le Congo coalition secure a majority, though the legitimacy of both sets of results was immediately contested. Fayulu filed an appeal with the Constitutional Court of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, alleging an "electoral coup" and presenting evidence of fraud, but the court, led by Benoît Lwamba Bindu, upheld Tshisekedi's victory. International reactions were mixed, with cautious recognition from the African Union and the Southern African Development Community, but skepticism from the European Union and the United States Department of State.
Aftermath and impact
The disputed outcome led to a political crisis, with Martin Fayulu declaring himself the legitimate president and calling for protests. The situation stabilized somewhat after a surprise political alliance between President Félix Tshisekedi and former President Joseph Kabila, allowing Tshisekedi to form a government with the Front Commun pour le Congo. This alliance began to fracture by 2020, leading to a new political realignment. The election's legacy profoundly impacted the Democratic Republic of the Congo's democratic trajectory, undermining public trust in institutions like CENI and the Constitutional Court, and setting the stage for the subsequent 2023 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election.
Category:2018 elections in Africa Category:Presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Category:December 2018 events in Africa