The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Constitutional Court has upheld a referendum law that critics believe could eventually allow President Félix Tshisekedi to seek a third presidential term despite constitutional limits. While the constitution bars changes to presidential term restrictions, the court approved provisions that allow constitutional amendments through a constituent assembly followed by a referendum but only during periods of major institutional dysfunction. Opposition parties condemned the ruling as a threat to constitutional order and warned it could undermine democratic safeguards ahead of Tshisekedi’s mandate ending in 2028. The ruling strengthens the president’s political options while weakening the opposition’s ability to block constitutional changes through legal channels. The decision sets a precedent other leaders could exploit to bypass term limits, deepening the risk of democratic backsliding on the continent and elsewhere.
Africanews