Current President Denis Sassou Nguesso, 82, is running for a fifth term in an election boycotted by the main political parties.
Posted on March 15, 2026
The Republic of Congo is voting in a presidential election that is expected to extend Denis Sassou Nguesso’s decades-long rule for another five years, with limited active opposition and little uncertainty about the outcome.
Polls opened at 7am local time (06:00 GMT) on Sunday and will close at 6pm (17:00 GMT).
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
More than 3.2 million Congolese are registered to vote, although analysts and civil society groups expect turnout to fall below the nearly 68 percent recorded in 2021, when Sassou won with 88.4 percent of the vote.
The Republic of the Congo, sub-Saharan Africa’s third largest oil producer and producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is one of the most politically repressive countries in the world; Freedom House gives it a freedom rating of 17 out of 100.
Sassou, 82, took power in 1979 and has governed almost continuously since, except for a five-year hiatus in the 1990s. He is running against six little-known candidates, and analysts say none of them can pose a significant challenge to the incumbent, who has been in power for nearly 42 years.
The campaign showed a great mismatch between Sassou and his opponents, with the incumbent being the only candidate who traveled across the country to seek votes. The streets of the capital, Brazzaville, are paved with effigies of Sassou.
The country’s electoral bodies are also dominated by figures aligned with the ruling Congolese Labor Party. Two other major parties are boycotting the election over allegations of unfair voting practices. Two of the country’s best-known opposition leaders are in prison, while others are in exile.
“I don’t expect things to get better”
Therefore, some Congolese say they see little chance for change.
Gilbert, a 44-year-old civil servant from Brazzaville, told Al Jazeera that he does “odd jobs” as his salary is not enough to cover all household expenses.
“At my age, to believe that these elections will change our daily lives would be almost suicidal,” he said. “I’ve pretty much known the same leader my entire life.”
Human rights groups say political space has shrunk in recent years, citing arrests of activists and suspensions of parties.
Prime Minister Anatole Collinet Makosso has rejected accusations of bias in favor of Sassou, arguing that Congo’s oversight bodies will ensure transparent and fair elections.
“It’s an election whose outcome is known in advance,” Frederic Nkou, an unemployed Brazzaville resident, told Reuters news agency, echoing Gilbert. “I don’t expect things to get better.”
Sassou has campaigned for continuity, promising to accelerate development projects and expand access to education and vocational training.
The economy, heavily dependent on oil, has stabilized in recent years after a long crisis, but 52 percent of Congo’s 6.1 million people live in poverty, according to the World Bank.
Provisional election results are expected between 48 and 72 hours after polls close.
