Congolese government adopts opposition status draft bill

The Congolese government has adopted a draft bill determining the status of the Congolese political opposition.

Under the bill, the leader of the opposition in Congo will be the leader of the party with the largest number of elected representatives in Parliament after the majority group.

The bill which will be sent to Parliament has been variously interpreted by the opposition as it is intended to represent and institutionalize the opposition, in accordance with the new constitution adopted in 2015.

The text establishes the opposition’s modalities of consultation on matters of national interest by the President and by other institutions.

Within the opposition, the main point of discussion is the bias in favor of the parliamentary opposition to the detriment of the candidate who would come in second in the presidential election.

Opposers of the draft bill say there should be opposition in and outside Parliament adding an opposition leader can also be one who came in second in the presidential election.

Agencies