As reported by Deutsche Welle, the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) passed a law on organizing referendums on June 9. The law is seen as a crucial step toward a possible constitutional revision, as President Félix Tshisekedi’s second and final term ends in 2028. The vote took place without opposition lawmakers, who have been boycotting parliament for weeks in protest against the initiative.
Tshisekedi has openly expressed interest in a third term through a constitutional amendment or even postponing the elections. ‘I did not ask for a third term, but I tell you: If the people want me to have a third term, I will accept it,’ he said at a press conference in Kinshasa in early May. His party, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), has already launched a public campaign for constitutional reform.
Moise Katumbi, who finished second in the 2023 presidential election and lives in exile, sharply criticized the plan. ‘The constitution is not a shirt that you can change at will. Tshisekedi himself swore before this constitution that he would respect it,’ he told DW. Political scientist Professor Bob Kabamba of the University of Liège sees deeper motives behind the move: ‘When the president puts forward arguments for a constitutional revision, it becomes clear that it is not about revising the constitution, but about replacing it.’
Source: www.dw.com
