Congo votes in presidential election
Sassou Nguesso expected to extend rule
Polls closed in the Republic of Congo’s presidential election and officials began counting ballots in Brazzaville amid expectations that long-time president Denis Sassou Nguesso will extend his rule. Voting occurred while a nationwide internet outage sharply reduced connectivity to roughly 3% of normal levels, according to monitoring group NetBlocks. More than 3.2 million registered voters were eligible to take part in the contest in the oil-dependent Central African state.
Eighty-two-year-old Sassou Nguesso, who first took power in 1979 and returned to the presidency in 1997, is seeking another five-year term and faces six relatively unknown challengers. Several opposition parties boycotted the election; two prominent opposition figures remain imprisoned and others are in exile. Analysts point to a fragmented opposition and tight control over electoral institutions as factors making an upset unlikely.
The campaign focused on promises of stability and continued state-led development, particularly in the oil sector, with the government highlighting infrastructure and economic management. Opposition groups criticized the process, alleging restrictions on political space, limited media access and concerns about transparency in vote counting. Authorities dismissed those accusations, saying the poll was conducted under the law and largely peaceful, with security forces deployed at polling stations to maintain order.
Local and international observers monitored voting in multiple regions; reports indicated that many polling stations opened on time but some logistical issues occurred. Turnout was described as steady in official statements. Provisional results are expected within 48 to 72 hours as electoral officials finish tallying ballots nationwide. If the expected outcome is confirmed, it would extend Sassou Nguesso’s decades-long dominance of Congolese politics and further entrench the ruling party’s position.
