election FAQ

Elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: 2018 General Elections

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On December 30, Congolese citizens are scheduled to go to the polls to vote in presidential, national and provincial elections.

After the second general elections organized in 2011, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was embroiled in major conflicts that led to violence and the displacement of millions. If the elections take place without violence, this will be the first peaceful democratic transfer of power in the DRC since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. Moreover, the election would renew the country’s institutions and set a path for its return to regular democratic governance.

To help you understand this important electoral process, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) provides Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: 2018 General Elections. IFES FAQs include:

  • What is the electoral system?
  • How was voter registration conducted?
  • Will there be out-of-country voting?
  • How will election disputes be adjudicated?

*Please note that the figures included in these FAQs and accompanying infographic are provisional. The election date was set by the Independent National Electoral Commission on December 20.