Congo-Brazzaville: what strategies for the opposition to the legislative elections?

Voters line up outside a polling station during the presidential election in Brazzaville, March 20, 2016. (Illustration photo) REUTERS / Roch Bouka

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In Congo-Brazzaville, nearly 2.9 million voters are called, this Sunday, July 9, to choose their 151 deputies for the next five years.

In total, just over 2,000 candidates are in the running.

The Congolese Labor Party, a formation of President Sassou-Nguesso, is the overwhelming favourite.

The latter controls two-thirds of the outgoing Assembly, along with its allies.

His opponents are divided between those who have chosen to compete and those who have decided to boycott the poll.

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Represented in the outgoing Assembly, the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS) - former party of Pascal Lissouba - has decided to play the electoral game again.

The formation of Pascal Tsaty Mabiala will present candidates in nine of the twelve departments of the country.

The same goes for the Union of Humanist Democrats (UDH-Yuki), despite the internal disputes that have persisted since the

in March 2021, at the time of the presidential election.

" 

 ," he said in 2017 to denounce the " 

 " results of previous legislative elections.

But against the " 

 ", his successors have decided to test the waters again... Just like Claudine Munari, a figure of the opposition, who will challenge Minister Jacqueline Claudia Mikolo, in the constituency of Mouyondzi .

Despite political consultations organized at the beginning of March in Owando, stronghold of the Head of State, the electoral process did not convince other parties which chose to boycott the election.

The Congolese opposition federation - a dozen parties grouped together behind Clément Mierassa - thus believes that " 

 ".

Same thing for the formations of tenors Jean-Jacques Serge Yhomby Opango and Mathias Dzon.

The PCT, in power, and its allies are present everywhere.

There are also many independents.

The main question of this election concerns the participation, very low, 5 years ago.

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These legislative elections are coupled with local elections.

Thus, more than 1,450 local and municipal councilors are to be elected.

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• Congo Brazzaville