Title: The provisional results of the legislative elections in the DRC reveal surprises within the Sacred Union
Introduction:
The provisional results of the legislative elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were recently published, and they held some surprises within the presidential coalition of the Sacred Union of the Nation. While the presidential camp won a landslide victory, the distribution of seats among the political parties revealed unexpected upheavals. In this article, we will analyze the figures and highlight the main players in this new Assembly.
The weight of the UDPS and the emergence of the UNC:
Unsurprisingly, the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) of President Félix Tshisekedi is the largest political force with 69 seats, reinforced by the political parties allied to it. However, the real surprise comes from the Union for the Congolese Nation (UNC) of Vital Kamerhe, current Deputy Prime Minister, which has established itself as the second political force with around forty elected officials. The UNC thus defied the predictions and consolidated its influence within the Assembly.
The disappointment of the MLC and the emergence of new groupings:
On the other hand, Jean-Pierre Bemba’s Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) experienced disappointment. While it was expected that it would obtain at least 30 seats, the MLC ultimately only had around twenty seats. A poor performance which allowed groupings such as Agissons and Buildings (AB) of Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde or the Alliance bloc 50 (A/B50) of Minister of Industry Julien Paluku to gain in influence and win more seats than the MLC.
The limited opposition:
On the opposition side, it is Moïse Katumbi’s Ensemble pour la République (EPR) which comes out on top with 18 elected officials. However, the opposition as a whole represents only a minority share of the Assembly, with only a few other seats split between former prime ministers and specific political parties.
Provisional results and a physiognomy awaiting confirmation:
It is important to emphasize that the current results are still provisional and subject to appeal to the Constitutional Court. In addition, some seats have not yet been allocated for security or vote cancellation reasons. Thus, the final distribution of power between the different political actors will only be confirmed when the Assembly is installed at the end of January 2024.
Conclusion:
The provisional results of the legislative elections in the DRC brought their share of surprises within the Sacred Union. If the UDPS remains the main political force, the emergence of the UNC and the poor performance of the MLC have changed the appearance of the Assembly. In addition, the opposition has a limited presence, which confirms the domination of the presidential camp. However, it should be remembered that these results are still provisional and that the true distribution of powers will be confirmed later. The Congolese political scene therefore continues to evolve, and it will be interesting to follow future developments.