The Democratic Republic of the Congo is witnessing a deliberate and systematic erosion of its democratic foundations. A recent ruling by the Constitutional Court has handed President Félix Tshisekedi a powerful institutional tool: the ability to bypass the constitutional two-term limit by declaring a new republic. Under the guise of “modernizing” outdated laws, the government is methodically consolidating control, pushing the nation toward authoritarian drift.
On the ground, dissent is being crushed. Peaceful opposition protests face brutal police crackdowns, while arbitrary arrests of political figures and activists escalate. Critical voices, including the unequivocal rejection from the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO), are being systematically ignored by the administration.
As Félix Tshisekedi maneuvers to secure a third term, international partners in Kinshasa remain conspicuously silent, prioritizing short-term security interests over the democratic aspirations of the Congolese people. The muted response from Washington, Paris, and Brussels stands in stark contrast to the swift condemnations issued against similar constitutional overhauls and coups across Africa.
International complicity in democratic backsliding
Western capitals justify their inaction by pointing to the ongoing insurgency in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels continue to destabilize the region. Viewing Félix Tshisekedi as a fragile bulwark against regional collapse, these governments overlook his authoritarian tendencies in exchange for access to critical minerals essential for the global energy transition.
This pragmatic calculus is dangerously shortsighted. Pushing ahead with a constitutional referendum while entire provinces remain outside state control would disenfranchise millions of Congolese. Holding such a vote in a war-torn nation risks accelerating the de facto partition of the country.
Global institutions fail to defend Congo’s democracy
By refraining from strong diplomatic action against the third-term project, the United Nations, European Union, and African Union are abandoning the Congolese people to an emerging dictatorship. Their silence sends a dangerous message: democratic norms may be sacrificed when a regime aligns with geopolitical convenience.
Time to break the silence
The Congolese people cannot be held hostage to one man’s ambitions or the cynicism of foreign powers. International actors must heed the warnings from civil society and the alarms raised by Catholic and Protestant churches. Upholding the sacred terms of the DRC Constitution and halting this disguised dictatorial transition is still possible. Remaining silent now would make the international community complicit in the political instability and potential Sudanization of the DRC.