AFRICAN ELECTIONS DATABASE
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Elections in Congo-Brazzaville [Republic of Congo]
 
Political Profile
Political System: Restricted Democratic Practice
President: Denis Sassou-Nguesso (PCT) [since 25 October 1997; seized power in 1997 military rebellion, elected 2002]. The President is elected by direct popular vote for a 7-year term. Electoral System: Two Round (Run-off).
Prime Minister: Isidore Mvouba (PCT) [since 07 January 2005] The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
Parliament [bicameral]
--Senate (66 Seats) Members are indirectly elected by district, regional, and local councils to serve 6-year terms with one-half being renewed every 3 years.
--National Assembly (137 Seats) Members are elected by direct popular vote in single-member constituencies using the two round (run-off) system; members serve 5-year terms.
Political Situation since Independence
1960-1963 Emerging Democracy
1963         Transitional Government
1963-1964 [De-Facto] One Party State (MNR)
1964-1968 One Party State (MNR)
1968-1969 Military Regime
1969-1977 One Party State (PCT)
1977-1979 Military Regime & One Party State (PCT)
1979-1990 One Party State (PCT)
1990-1992 Multiparty Transition
1992-1997 Democracy
1997-2002 Transitional Period [Civil War]
2002-        Restricted Democratic Practice
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 6, Civil Liberties - 5, Status: Not Free
Next Scheduled Presidential Election: 2009
Next Scheduled Senatorial Election: July 2008
Next Scheduled National Assembly Election: 2012
Political Parties: APC - Take Action for Congo, CDR - Convention for Democracy and the Republic, Club 2002-PUR - Club 2002-Party for Unity and the Republic, CODESA - Convention for Democracy and Salvation, FDN - New Democratic Forces, JEM - Youth Movement, Life Party*, MAR - Action Movement for Renewal, MCDDI - Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (right-wing), MDP - Movement for Democracy and Progress, MNR - National Revolutionary Movement, MSA - African Socialist Movement, MSD - Movement for Solidarity and Development, PAP - Party of the Poor, PCR - Congolese, Party of Renewal (social-democratic), PCT - Congolese Labor Party (far-left), PPC - Congolese Progressive Party, PRL - Republican and Liberal Party, RC - Citizens’ Rally, RDD - Rally for Democracy and Development (centrist), RDPS - Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (far-left, socialist), UCR - Congolese Union of Republicans, UDC - Union for Congolese Democracy (centrist), UDDIA - Democratic Union for the Defense of African Interests, UDPS - Union for Development and Social Progress (social-democratic), UDR - Union for Democracy and Republic (centrist), UDR-Mwinda - Union for Democracy and the Republic, UFD - Union of Democratic Forces (centrist), UP - Union for Progress, UPADS - Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (left-wing, social-democratic), UPDP - Patriotic Union for Democracy and Progress, UPRN - Patriotic Union for National Renewal, UR – Union for the Republic, URD - Union for Democratic Renewal.
Coalitions: African Socialist Movement-Congolese Progressive Party (MSA-PPC) [Contested the 1959 Election]; Presidential Tendency Coalition [Contested the 1993 National Assembly Election] The main parties in the coalition are the Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS), Rally for Democracy and Development (RDD), Union of Democratic Forces (UFD), Congolese Party of Renewal (PCR), Union for Congolese Democracy (UDC), and the Union for Development and Social Progress (UDPS); Opposition Coalition [Contested the 1993 National Assembly Election] Member parties include the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI), Congolese Labor Party (PCT), Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS), and Union for Democratic Renewal (URD); Congolese Labor Party-United Democratic Forces (PCT-FDU) [Contested the 2002 Presidential and National Assembly Elections] The coalition is led by the Congolese Labor Party (PCT), while the United Democratic Forces (FDU) is made up of several small parties.
*Political party acronym not available.
 
Election Results
 
 
Presidential
--Multiparty 1992, 2002
--Single-Party: 1961
Legislative
--Multiparty: 1959, 1992, 1993, 2002, 2007
--Single-Party: 1963, 1973, 1979, 1984, 1989
Constitutional Referenda: 1963, 1973, 1979, 1992, 2002
 
 
14 June 1959 Territorial Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party/[Coalition]

% of Votes

Number of Seats (61)

Democratic Union for the Defense of African Interests (UDDIA)

57.6%

51

African Socialist Movement-Congolese Progressive Party [MSA-PPC]

41.9%

10

Others

0.5%

-

 
March 1961 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Fulbert Youlou of the Democratic Union for the Defense of African Interests (UDDIA) was elected unopposed. No figures available.
 
08 December 1963 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: A President who may be re-elected once, one party system

Registered Voters

539,219

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

494,279 (91.7%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

    6,561

Total Valid Votes

487,718

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

419,893

86.09%

"No" Votes

67,825

13.91%

 
11 December 1963 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

The National Revolutionary Movement (MNR) won the election. No Figures Available. The MNR was declared the sole legal party in July 1964.
 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: National Revolutionary Movement (MNR)
Note: Following the 11 December 1963 National Assembly election, Alphonse Massamba-Débat was elected president by an electoral college.
 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: Congolese Labor Party (PCT)

24 June 1973 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Not Available

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

Not Available

"Yes" Votes

76.63%

"No" Votes

22.37%

24 June 1973 People’s National Assembly Election (115 Seats)

08 July 1979 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Not Available

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Invalid/Blank Votes

Not Available

Total Valid Votes

Not Available

"Yes" Votes

96.93%

"No" Votes

03.07%

08 July 1979 People’s National Assembly Election

23 September 1984 People’s National Assembly Election

24 September 1989 People’s National Assembly Election (133 Seats)

Note: Marien Ngouabi, who had been in power since 1969, was elected chairman of the Central Committee of the Congolese Labor Party (PCT) on 30 December 1974. Following the assassination of Ngouabi in 1977 and a brief period of military rule, Denis Sassou-Nguesso was elected President of the PCT Central Committee in 1979. The President [Chairman] of the PCT Central Committee was also President of the Republic. He was re-elected in July 1984 and again in July 1989.
 
15 March 1992 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Presidential Republic, Two Chamber Parliament, and division of powers

Registered Voters

1,232,384

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

   874,297 (70.9%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     10,408

Total Valid Votes

   863,889

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

832,115

96.32%

"No" Votes

31,774

03.68%

 
24 June & 19 July 1992 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (approx. 71%)

Party

Number of Seats (125)

Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS)

39

Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI)

29

Congolese Labor Party (PCT)

19

Others

30

Independents

08

 
August 1992 Presidential Election
First Round (08 August 1992)

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Second Round (16 August 1992)

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Candidate (Party)

First Round

Second Round

% of Votes

% of Votes

Pascal Lissouba (UPADS)

35.89%

61.32%

Bernard Kolelas (MCDDI)

20.32%

38.68%

Denis Sassou-Nguesso (PCT)

16.87%

-

André Milongo (UDR)

10.18%

-

Jean-Pierre Thystère Tchicaya (RDPS)

5.78%

-

Joachim Yhombi-Opango (RDD)

3.49%

-

 
2 May & 06 June 1993 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party/Coalition

Number of Seats (125)

Presidential Tendency

65

 

Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS)

  

47

Rally for Democracy and Development (RDD)

06

Union of Democratic Forces (UFD)

03

Congolese Party of Renewal (PCR)

02

Union for Congolese Democracy (UDC)

01

Union for Development and Social Progress (UDPS)

01

Others

05

Opposition Coalition

56

 

Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI)

  

28

Congolese Labor Party (PCT)

15

Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS)

10

Union for Democratic Renewal (URD)

02

Pro-PCT Independent

01

Union for Democracy and Republic (UDR)

02

Patriotic Union for National Renewal (UPRN)

01

Independent

01

 
20 January 2002 Constitutional Referendum [Results by Region]
Main Points: Extension of Presidential term from 5 to 7 years, Abolition of the post of Prime Minister, Creation of a new bicameral assembly consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives

Registered Voters

1,701,415

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,318,238 (77.5%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     49,908

Total Valid Votes

1,268,330

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

1,113,955

87.83%

"No" Votes

154,375

12.17%

 
10 March 2002 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

1,733,943

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,295,319 (74.7%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     92,708

Total Valid Votes

1,202,611

Candidate (Party) [Coalition]

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Denis Sassou-Nguesso (PCT) [PCT-FDU]

1,075,247

89.41%

Joseph Kignomba Kia Mbougou (UPADS)

33,154

2.76%

Angèle Bandou (PAP)

27,849

2.32%

Jean-Félix Demba Tello

20,252

1.68%

Luc Adamo Matela (CDR)

19,074

1.59%

Côme Manckasse (UCR)

15,054

1.25%

Bonaventure Mizidy (PRL)

11,981

1.00%

 
26 May & 23 June 2002 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

1,700,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Seats (137)*

Congolese Labor Party-United Democratic Forces [PCT-FDU]

83

 

Congolese Labor Party (PCT)

  

53

United Democratic Forces (FDU)

30

Union for Democracy and the Republic (UDR-Mwinda)

06

Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS)

03

Convention for Democracy and Salvation (CODESA)

02

Others & Independents

35

*Balloting for 8 seats in the Pool Region was postponed because of militia activity.
 
24 June & 05 August 2007 National Assembly Election*

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (137)

Congolese Labor Party (PCT) and allies

88

 

Congolese Labor Party (PCT)

  

46

Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI)

11

Action Movement for Renewal (MAR)

05

Movement for Solidarity and Development (MSD)

05

Club 2002-Party for Unity and the Republic (Club 2002-PUR)

03

Take Action for Congo (APC)

03

New Democratic Forces (FDN)

02

Union for the Republic (UR)

02

Patriotic Union for Democracy and Progress (UPDP)

02

Union for Progress (UP)

02

Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS)

02

Movement for Democracy and Progress (MDP)

01

Union of Democratic Forces (UFD)

01

Youth Movement (JEM)

01

Citizens’ Rally (RC)

01

Life Party

01

Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS)

11

Union for Democracy and the Republic (UDR-Mwinda)

01

Independents

37

*Due to procedural and organizational problems in the first round, a re-run of the vote was held in five districts on 8 July and fourteen others on 15 July 2007. In the second round, voting in two districts was delayed until 19 & 20 August.