DRC President Tshisekedi hints at third term and warns 2028 elections may be delayed
Primary region Africa
Tags Elections · Justice · Policy
Regions Africa
DRC President Felix Tshisekedi said on May 7-8 that he would accept a third term if the people demanded it through a referendum, and warned that ongoing conflict in eastern DRC could make it impossible to hold the 2028 presidential elections on schedule. The DRC constitution limits presidents to two terms; any change requires a constitutional revision approved by referendum or three-fifths parliamentary majority. A bill was submitted to parliament in March 2026 to organize referendums. Tshisekedi warned elections cannot be held while parts of North Kivu and South Kivu remain under AFC/M23 rebel control. Opposition figures denounced the remarks as a 'constitutional coup,' noting the contradiction of holding a referendum while unable to hold elections. The remarks revive memories of former president Joseph Kabila's 2016 election delay.
Strategic interpretation
Tshisekedi's remarks follow a pattern seen across the region of leaders using conflict as a pretext to extend their time in power. The eastern conflict provides a convenient justification for delay, but the opposition sees a calculated move to revisit term limits. The US sanctions on both Rwandan military commanders and former president Kabila add external pressure to an already volatile political situation.