DR Congo: Tshisekedi Signs Referendum Law Amid Third-Term Fears
The Facts
- DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi signed a controversial law on Monday, making it easier to hold referendums on constitutional matters, as announced on state television overnight Tuesday into Wednesday. Opposition parties accuse him of trying to extend his time in power.
- The law sets out how a new constitution could be drafted and put to a referendum, including through a constituent assembly in case of a "major dysfunction" of state institutions. Critics fear it could allow Tshisekedi to seek a third term, though no referendum date has been announced.
- The National Assembly adopted the referendum bill on October 23, with 346 of the 347 lawmakers participating voting in favor and one abstaining. Before its passage, lawmakers reformulated 13 articles to address observations raised by the Constitutional Court during its review.
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The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Letting voters weigh in on the nation's founding charter is democracy working, not democracy dying. A law establishing a clear, legitimate path to constitutional reform gives the Congolese people a real say in their country's future. A near-unanimous parliament and constitutional court review show the process is anything but a backroom power scheme. Fear of a democratic vote says more about an opposition that can't win one.
Government-critical narrative
Term limits exist so an incumbent can't simply rewrite the rules at the end of the line, and a referendum law tailored to that purpose is a blatant power grab in slow motion. Peace talks built on the existing constitution collapse the moment that foundation is torn up, leaving a war-torn east with even less reason to trust Kinshasa. Protecting the 2028 vote and the country's democratic future matters far more than personal ambition.
