DR Congo's Tshisekedi Opens Door to Third Term and Possible 2028 Election Delay
Primary region Africa
Tags Elections · Corruption · Security
Regions Africa
President Félix Tshisekedi said he would accept a third term 'if the people wish' and warned the 2028 presidential election could be delayed if the conflict in eastern DRC continues. Article 220 of the constitution bans revision of presidential term limits, but a bill tabled by an MP proposes a referendum mechanism critics call a 'backdoor.' Opposition leader Martin Fayulu accused Tshisekedi of attempting a 'constitutional coup d'état' and vowed to fight any third-term bid. Tshisekedi cited the December 2025 US-DRC minerals partnership agreement as requiring legal reforms and pointed to Ukraine's wartime election postponement as precedent.
Strategic interpretation
Tshisekedi's third-term maneuvering follows a pattern seen across Africa where incumbents use security crises to justify constitutional overreach. The M23 conflict provides convenient cover, but the contradiction — elections can't be held during war, but neither can a referendum — exposes the pretext. The US-DRC minerals deal adds a complicating factor: Washington's economic interests in Congolese cobalt and coltan may temper its willingness to pressure Tshisekedi on democratic norms.