Authoritarian drift in democratic republic of Congo under tshisekedi

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the political trajectory of the current regime leaves no room for doubt. The recent ruling by the Constitutional Court has handed Félix Tshisekedi a powerful institutional tool: the ability to bypass the two-term limit by establishing an entirely new Republic. Under the guise of “modernizing” outdated texts, the government is systematically consolidating its grip on power, plunging the country into a dangerous authoritarian drift.

Meanwhile, on the ground, dissenting voices are being systematically silenced. Peaceful protests organized by opposition forces are met with violent police crackdowns. Arbitrary arrests of political figures and activists are escalating, while critical voices—including the unequivocal rejection from the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO)—are being deliberately ignored by the President.

As Félix Tshisekedi maneuvers to secure a third term, international partners in Kinshasa have adopted a deafening silence, sacrificing the Congolese people’s democratic aspirations on the altar of short-term security diplomacy.

International complicity in democratic backsliding

The current silence from the international community—spanning Washington, Paris, and Brussels—is staggering. This inaction starkly contrasts with the swift and vocal condemnations issued against coups and constitutional revisions elsewhere in Africa.

Western chancelleries justify their complacency by pointing to the ongoing war in eastern Congo, where the M23 rebels continue to pose a threat. Viewing Tshisekedi as a fragile bulwark against the region’s total collapse, the West prefers to overlook his authoritarian tendencies in exchange for strategic cooperation and access to critical minerals essential for the global energy transition.

This calculus is not just flawed—it is historically reckless. Pushing for a constitutional referendum while large portions of the eastern provinces remain beyond state control would disenfranchise millions of Congolese. Forcing such a vote in a war-torn nation risks fracturing the DRC into de facto partitions.

An avoidable catastrophe for Congo

By refusing to send a strong diplomatic signal against Tshisekedi’s third-term ambitions, the UN, European Union, and African Union are abandoning the Congolese people to tyranny. Their silence signals a dangerous precedent: democratic violations are tolerated so long as a regime aligns with short-term geopolitical interests.

For those who stand with the Congolese people, the message is clear: the 1998 Constitution is not a suggestion—it is the bedrock of the nation’s stability. Allowing its circumvention for the sake of political ambition or foreign interests would not only betray the people but also fuel the flames of instability that threaten to engulf the DRC.

There is still time to act. The international community must break its silence, uphold the Constitution’s sacred terms, and demand an immediate halt to this disguised dictatorial transition before irreversible damage is done.