Elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Multi-party elections in the DR Congo were held in July 2006, the first multi-party elections in the country since 1960.
The 1960 elections, held in the wake of independence, saw Patrice Lumumba become prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu president. In 1965 Mobutu Sese Seko seized power and declared himself president. He ruled until 1997 when Laurent Kabila seized power after the First Congo War.
When Laurent Kabila was killed in 2001, his son Joseph Kabila took over the presidency while the country was going through the Second Congo War (1998-2003). The Second Congo War was officially declared over in 2003. The period that followed was relatively peaceful, with the United Nations' largest peacekeeping force maintaining the peace. However, the Ituri Conflict marred the peace, with periods of violence in the northeastern Ituri Province.
In December 2005 a referendum on a new constitution was held. It was approved, paving way for the first multiparty elections in 46 years, which were held in July 2006.
Contents
Latest elections
2006 General Election
<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
A general election was held on Sunday 30 July 2006, which were the first free multi-party elections in 46 years. Voters went to the polls to elect a new President, federal parliament and provincial parliaments.
A run-off election was held on 29 October to choose the president as no candidate had obtained more than 50% of the vote. Joseph Kabila was elected in the second round with 58% of the vote.
The international community donated $460 million to fund the elections and deployed the world's largest UN peacekeeping operation to help the stability of the election.
| Parties | Seats | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et le Démocratie) | 111 | 22.2 |
| Movement for the Liberation of Congo (Mouvement pour la Liberation du Congo) | 64 | 12.8 |
| Unified Lumumbist Party (Parti Lumumbiste Unifié) | 34 | 6.8 |
| Social Movement for Renewal (Mouvement Social pour le Renouveau) | 27 | 5.4 |
| Forces for Renewal (Forces du Renouveau) | 26 | 5.2 |
| Congolese Rally for Democracy (Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie) | 15 | 3.0 |
| Coalition of Congolese Democrats (Coalition des Démocrates Congolais) | 10 | 2.0 |
| Convention of Christian Democrats (Convention des Démocrates Chrétiens) | 10 | 2.0 |
| Union of Mobutuist Democrats (Union des Démocrates Mobutistes) | 9 | 1.8 |
| Camp of the Fatherland (Camp de la Patrie) | 8 | 1.6 |
| Federalist Christian Democracy-Convention of Federalists for Christian Democracy (Démocratie Chrétienne Fédéraliste–Convention des Fédéralistes pour la Démocratie Chrétiene) | 8 | 1.6 |
| Christian Democrat Party (Parti Démocrate Chrétien) | 8 | 1.6 |
| Union of Federalist Nationalists of Congo (Union des Nationalistes Fédéralistes du Congo) | 7 | 1.4 |
| Congolese Alliance of Christian Democrats (Alliance Congolaise des Démocrates Chrétiens) | 4 | 0.8 |
| Alliance of Congolese Democrats (Alliance des Démocrates Congolais) | 4 | 0.8 |
| United Congolese Convention (Convention des Congolais Unis) | 4 | 0.8 |
| Resistance Patriots Maï-Maï (Patriotes Résistants Maï-Maï) | 4 | 0.8 |
| Rally of Congolese Democrats and Nationalists (Rassemblement des Congolais Démocrates et Nationalistes) | 4 | 0.8 |
| Union of the People for Republic and Integral Development (Union du Peuple pour la République et le Développement Intégral) | 4 | 0.8 |
| Union of Builders of Kongo (Alliance des Bâtisseurs du Kongo) | 3 | 0.6 |
| Democratic Convention for Development (Convention Démocrate pour le Développement) | 3 | 0.6 |
| Convention for the Republic and Democracy (Convention pour la République et la Démocratie) | 3 | 0.6 |
| National Alliance Party for Unity (Parti de l’Alliance Nationale pour l’Unité) | 3 | 0.6 |
| Party of Nationalists for Integral Development (Parti des Nationalistes pour le Développement Intégral) | 3 | 0.6 |
| Union of Congolese Patriots (Union des patriotes congolais) | 3 | 0.6 |
| National Union of Federalist Democrats (Union Nationale des Démocrates Fédéralistes) | 3 | 0.6 |
| Alliance of Congolese Believing Nationalists (Alliance des Nationalistes Croyants Congolais) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Alliance for the Renewal of Congo (Alliance pour le Renouveau du Congo) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Renewing Forces for Union and Solidarity (Forces Novatrices pour l'Union et la Solidarité) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Movement for Democracy and Development (Mouvement pour la Démocratie et le Développement) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Congolese Party for Good Governance (Parti Congolais pour la Bonne Gouvernance) | 2 | 0.4 |
| People's Revolution Party (Parti de la Révolution du Peuple) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Democratic Social Christian Party (Parti Democrate Social Chretien) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Rally of Social and Federalist Forces (Rassemblement des Forces Sociales et Fédéralistes) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Electoral Platform Renaissance (Renaissance Plate-forme électorale) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Solidarity for National Development (Solidarité pour le Développement National ) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Union for the Republican Majority (Union pour la Majorité Républicaine ) | 2 | 0.4 |
| National Union of Christian Democrats (Union Nationale des Démocrates Chrétiens) | 2 | 0.4 |
| Action of the Rally for Reconstruction and Edification (Action de Rassemblement pour la Reconstruction et l'Edification Nationales ) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Alliance of Congolese Nationalists (Alliance des Nationalistes Congolais/Plate Forme ) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Conscience and People's Will (Conscience et Volonté du Peuple ) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Christian Convention for Democracy (Convention Chrétienne pour la Démocratie) | 1 | 0.2 |
| National Convention of Political Action (Convention Nationale d'Action Politique)) | 1 | 0.2 |
| National Convention for Republic and Progress (Convention Nationale pour la République et le Progrès | 1 | 0.2 |
| Christian Democracy {Démocratie Chrétienne) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Front of Congolese Democrats (Front des Démocrates Congolais) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Front for Social Integration (Front pour l'Intégration Sociale) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Social Front of Independent Republicans (Front Social des Indépendants Républicains) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Front of Social Democrats for Development (Front des Sociaux Démocrates pour le Développement) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Republican Generations (Générations Républicaines) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Action Movement for Resurrection of the Congo-Fraternity and Labour Party (Mouvement d'Action pour la Résurrection du Congo, Parti du Travail et de la Fraternité) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Self-Defence Movement for Integrity and Maintenance of Independent Authority (Mouvement d'Autodéfense pour l'Intégrité et le Maintien de l'Autorité Indépendante) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Congolese People's Movement for the Republic (Mouvement du Peuple Congolais pour la République) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Popular Movement of the Revolution (Mouvement Populaire de la Révolution) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Solidarity Movement for Democracy and Development (Mouvement Solidarité pour la Démocratie et le Développement) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Maï Maï Movement (Mouvement Maï-Maï) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Political Organisation of Kasavubists and Allies (Organisation Politique des Kasavubistes et Alliés) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Congolese Party for the People's Well-Being (Parti Congolais pour le Bien-être du Peuple) | 1 | 0.2 |
| National Unity Party (Parti de l'Unité Nationale) | 1 | 0.2 |
| National People's Party (Parti National du Peuple) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Rally of Christians for the Congo (Rassemblement des Chrétiens pour le Congo) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Rally of Congolese Ecologist-The Greens (Rassemblement des Écologistes Congolais, les verts) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Rally for Economic and Social Development (Rassemblement pour le Développement Économique et Social) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Congolese Union for Change (Union Congolaise pour le Changement) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Liberal Christian Democrats Union (Union des Libéraux Démocrates Chrétiens) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Union of Congolese Nationalist Patriots (Union des Patriotes Nationalistes Congolais) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Union for the Defence of the Republic (Union pour la Défense de la République) | 1 | 0.2 |
| Independents | 63 | 12.6 |
| Others | 2 | 0.4 |
| Total | 500 | 100 |
2007 Senate election
| Parties | Alliances | Leader | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie) | AMP | Joseph Kabila | 22 |
| Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (Mouvement pour la Liberation du Congo) | UpN | Jean-Pierre Bemba | 14 |
| Forces for Renewal (Forces du Renouveau) | AMP | Antipas Mbusa Nyamwisi | 7 |
| Rally for Congolese Democracy (Rassemblement Congolais pour la Démocratie) | 7 | ||
| Christian Democrat Party (Parti Démocrate Chrétien) | AMP | José Endundo Bononge | 6 |
| Convention of Christian Democrats (Convention des Démocrates Chrétiens) | 3 | ||
| Social Movement for Renewal (Mouvement Social pour le Renouveau) | AMP | 3 | |
| Unified Lumumbist Party (Parti Lumumbiste Unifié) | AMP | Antoine Gizenga | 2 |
| Alliance of Congolese Democrats (Alliance des Démocrates Congolais) | 1 | ||
| United Congolese Convention (Convention des Congolais Unis) | AMP | 1 | |
| Democratic Convention for Development (Convention Démocrate pour le Développement) | 1 | ||
| Coalition of Congolese Democrats (Coalition des Démocrates Congolais) | Jean-Claude Muyambo | 1 | |
| Convention for the Republic and Democracy (Convention pour la République et la Démocratie) | UpN | 1 | |
| Federalist Christian Democracy (Démocratie Chrétienne Fédéraliste–Convention des Fédéralistes pour la Démocratie Chrétiene) | AMP | Venant Tshipasa | 1 |
| Social Front of Independent Republicans (Front Social des Indépendants Républicains) | 1 | ||
| Liberal Christian Democrats Union (Union des Libéraux Démocrates Chrétiens) | Raymond Tshibanda | 1 | |
| National Alliance Party for Unity (Parti de l’Alliance Nationale pour l’Unité) | AMP | André-Philippe Futa | 1 |
| Democratic Socialist Party (Parti Démocratique Socialiste) | 1 | ||
| Democratic Social Christian Party (Parti Democrate Social Chretien) | André Bo-Boliko Lokonga | 1 | |
| Rally for Economic and Social Development (Rassemblement pour le Développement Économique et Social) | 1 | ||
| Rally of Congolese Democrats and Nationalists (Rassemblement des Congolais Démocrates et Nationalistes) | UpN | 1 | |
| Rally of Social and Federalist Forces (Rassemblement des Forces Sociales et Fédéralistes) | 1 | ||
| Congolese Union for Liberty (Union Congolaise pour la Liberté) | 1 | ||
| Union of Mobutuist Democrats (Union des Démocrates Mobutistes) | AMP | Nzanga Mobutu | 1 |
| National Union of Christian Democrats (Union Nationale des Démocrates Chrétiens) | 1 | ||
| National Union of Federalist Democrats (Union Nationale des Démocrates Fédéralistes) | Mwando Nsimba | 1 | |
| Independent | N/A | N/A | 26 |
| Total | 108 | ||
| Source: http://www.cei-rdc.cd/IMG/pdf/senateur_200107-6.pdf "Portant Annonce des Resultats Provisoires de l'Election des Senateurs du 19 Janvier 2007 en Republique Democratique du Congo"], Commission Electorale Independante, 20 January 2007. | |||
2011 Presidential election
The 2011 elections marked the second vote the country held since the Kivu Conflict that killed more than five million people. Violence marred the run-up to the 2011 Presidential election after armed men attacked polling stations and a truck carrying ballots. The election was also plagued by voting difficulties as some voting materials arrived late, or not at all. The presidential election involved 11 candidates, although incumbent President Joseph Kabila winning again amidst claims of vote-rigging and intimidation.
<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>
Past elections and referendums
 Elections and referendums in the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
|
|---|---|
| Presidential elections | |
| Parliamentary elections | |
| Senatorial elections | |
| Gubernatorial elections | |
| Local elections | |
| Referendums | |
See also
External links
- Electionworld
- Adam Carr's Election Archive
- African Elections Database
- Looking at the Congo's Historic Moment An index of resources from the Woodrow Wilson Center on the DRC's democratic
- [1] A local and an international perspectives on the 2011 elections on 28 November 2011
transition; Last update August 1, 2006
