Republic of Congo: president declares himself candidate for elections

The Republic of Congo is set to vote for its next president on 12 and 15 March. Denis Sassou N'Guesso first became leader of the country in 1979, and then returned to power in 1997 after a five-year break due to war. He has been president ever since.

It cannot really be said that the announcement came as a complete surprise. For months, senior officials and party leaders have repeatedly asked the president to declare himself candidate in the elections set for March.

On Thursday, he then made the announcement, confirming his participation in the vote for president when asked about his candidacy at an agricultural fair.

The date of the announcement, the 5th February, may not have been chosen without a symbolic hint. In 1979, N'Guesso started his very first term as leader of the country - back then the People's Republic of the Congo - on the 5th February.

After returning to power in 1997, he has been president without interruption ever since, getting reelected in 2002, 2009, 2016 and 2021.

In 2015, the currently 82-year-old president organised a modification of the constitution in order to make himself eligible for more than two terms as president.

Protest from the opposition, accusing the election results of being skewed in favour of N'Guesso, at each of his reelections has usually been repressed and ignored.