Major Political Parties
President Joseph Kabila ran in 2011 as an independent, but the party of his principal supporters is the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Development (PPRD). The Presidential Majority (MP) is a large coalition spearheaded by the PPRD and its satellite parties that supports President Kabila. The largest opposition party is the Democracy and Social Progress Union (UDPS), led by Etienne Tshisekedi. The Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) is the second-largest opposition party represented in the National Assembly. Its leader, Jean-Pierre Bemba, was on trial at the International Criminal Court in The Hague following his May 2008 arrest by Belgian authorities.
Union for Democracy and Social Progress party (UDPS) was the first organized opposition platform in Zaire, founded in 1982 by Etienne Tshisekedi, one of the country’s most important advocates of democracy. Tshisekedi served as a minister under Mobutu before helping found the Union for Democracy and Social Progress party (UDPS).
He was named prime minister four times in the 1990s as Mobutu contended with pro-democratic currents in the country, but Tshisekedi never lasted more than a few months as he repeatedly clashed with the charismatic autocrat. He finished runner-up to Kabila in the 2011 presidential election. International observers said the vote was marred by fraud and Tshisekedi’s supporters have referred to him ever since as the "elected president". Tshisekedi returned to Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, in July 2016 to a hero’s welcome after two years in Brussels for medical treatment.
His death on 01 February 2017 deprived the opposition of its principal figurehead as talks over implementation of the December accord falter. His son, Felix, was tipped to be named prime minister in a forthcoming power-sharing government.
with the grand “old man” gone, the party that he founded in 1982 faces a leadership crisis amid rumblings of discontent in the past few months over Felix Tshisekedi’s rapid rise up party ranks. A phlegmatic figure who was also known as "the Sphinx" for his impenetrable demeanour and terse, grave pronouncements, Tshisekedi failed to put in place the structures for a leadership succession within his party.
The Congolese National Union (UNC) party was formed in 2010 by former PPRD member Vital Kamerhe, who was nominated as its presidential candidate in 2011. The 2011 legislative elections resulted in 104 parties being elected to the National Assembly. The largest single parties besides the PPRD, UDPS, and MLC are the Social Movement for Renewal (MSR), People’s Party for Peace and Democracy (PPPD), Unified Lumumbist Party (PALU), UNC, and the Congolese Rebirth Alliance (ARC). The former rebel group National Congress for the People’s Defense (CNDP) failed to garner any seats in the 2011 elections, although it received official status as a political party in May 2009.
People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (Parti du peuple pour la réconciliation et le développement, PPRD) was founded in 2002. The PPRD is primarily made up of sympathizers of the old regime and members of the outgoing government. In preparation for the 2006 elections, the PPRD entered into an agreement with about 30 other parties to form the Alliance for the Presidential Majority (Alliance pour la majorité présidentielle, AMP), which supported President Joseph Kabila. The PPRD won 111 seats in the 30 July 2006 legislative elections, making it the biggest political party.
The AMP, of which the PPRD was the main component, held 316 of the 500 seats in the Congolese National Assembly. Vital Kamerhe, the president of the National Assembly, led the PPRD as its secretary general. Movement for the Liberation of Congo (Mouvement pour la libération du Congo, MLC) The MLC was founded by JeanPierre Bemba in Equateur in 199831. A former rebel group, the MLC is a signatory to the Pretoria Accord of December 2002 and was part of the transitional government installed on 30 July 200332. JeanPierre Bemba, the MLC's current president, held the position of vice-president.
During the 2006 elections, the MLC and approximately 20 other political parties joined forces to form a coalition known as the Group of Congolese Nationalists, which supported JeanPierre Bemba's presidential bid35. The MLC won 64 seats in the elections, coming in second after the PPRD.
Unified Lumumbist Party (Parti lumumbiste unifié, PALU) was founded on 22 August 1964. PALU is the second largest historical Congolese party, largely anchored around the Bandundu region. In the 30 July 2006 elections, PALU won 34 seats and had the third highest number of members of parliament. PALU was part of the AMP, and on 30 December 2006, its leader, Antoine Gizenga, was named prime minister of the first government installed after the elections.
Social Movement for Renewal (Mouvement social pour le renouveau, MSR also called the Mouvement social, MS) was founded in 2005. Many of its candidates were former leaders of civil society. The MSR won 27 seats in the 2006 elections, making it the fourth largest party in terms of members of parliament. The MSR was led by Pierre Lumbi Okongo, who is described as an [translation] "associate" of President Kabila. The MSR was part of the AMP, and Pierre Lumbi Okongo was named Minister of State for Infrastructures, Public Works and Reconstruction (ministre d'État chargé des infrastructures, des travaux publics et de la reconstruction) in the new government.
Forces for Renewal (Forces du renouveau, FR) is a coalition of five political parties and was founded on 17 March 2006. In the 30 July 2006 legislative elections, 26 FR candidates were elected52. The FR, led by Olivier Kamitatu53, was part of the AMP. Olivier Kamitatu was named Planning Minister (ministre du Plan) in the current government. Antipas Mbusa Nyamwisi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs (ministre d'État chargé des Affaires étrangères), represented the FR in the 30 July 2006 presidential elections, but won less than one percent of the vote.
Congolese Rally for Democracy - Goma (Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie - section Goma, RCD-Goma) was founded in October 2000, following internal dissent within the RCD, which was founded in 1998 in Goma, North Kivu58. A former armed group, RCDGoma is a signatory to the December 2002 Pretoria Accord. In July 2003, RCDGoma participated in the transitional government, and Azarias Ruberwa, its president, was named one of four vice-presidents60. RCDGoma won 15 seats in the 2006 legislative elections.
Coalition of Congelese Democrats (Coalition des démocrates congolais, CODECO) is a coalition of 30 political parties. Ten of its candidates were elected members of parliament in the 2006 elections. CODECO was part of the AMP and was led by Pierre Pay-Pay wa Syakassighe.
Convention of Christian Democrats (Convention des démocrates chrétiens, CDC) is an [translation] "electoral alliance of Christian political parties". The CDC won 10 seats in the 30 July 2006 legislative elections. Florentin Mokonda Bonza ran as the CDC candidate in the 30 July 2006 presidential elections and won 0.29 percent of the votes cast.
Union of Mobutist Democrats (Union des démocrates mobutistes, UDEMO) is an alliance of various political parties, society associations and nongovernmental organizations. Its objectives are "the restoration of peace, national unity and territorial integrity". In the 2006 legislative elections, nine UDEMO candidates were elected. It was part of the AMP and was led by François Joseph Mobutu Nzanga Ngangawe (the son of former president Mobutu). Nzanga Mobutu was the Agriculture Minister (ministre d'État chargé de l'agriculture) in the government.
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