Congo-Brazzaville’s veteran leader Denis Sassou Nguesso has been re-elected with an overwhelming majority, securing nearly 95% of the vote according to provisional results.
The outcome of Sunday’s election extends his rule—spanning more than four decades—for another five-year term in the oil-rich Central African country. Interior Minister Raymond Zephyrin Mboulou announced that Sassou Nguesso received 94.8% of the vote, with turnout reaching 84.65%.
While the results still await validation by the Constitutional Court, the fragmented and largely absent opposition has raised little challenge to the outcome.
At 82, Sassou Nguesso campaigned on his economic record, highlighting infrastructure development and efforts to diversify the economy through gas and agriculture. Despite continued reliance on oil revenues, growth is projected at 2.9% for 2025.
Although the constitution bars him from seeking another term in 2031, uncertainty remains over succession. The president has indicated he will eventually step aside but has not identified a potential successor.
A dominant figure in Congolese politics, Sassou Nguesso first came to power in 1979, briefly lost office in the early 1990s, and returned following a 1997 civil war. He has since maintained a firm grip on power through successive elections.
Source: Newstimehub
