The Congolese government has set the date for the referendum on a new Constitution bill which would allow President Denis Sassou Nguesso to seek a 3^rd term in 2016 to 25^th October.

Mr. Sassou Nguesso, 72 years, announced on 22^nd September the implementation of a commission in charge of adopting a “Constitution bill” and convening a “referendum poll in the near future”. In less than two weeks, the commission handed in its results.

“At the end of a eye-opening debate (…) the Cabinet, each fully aware of the historical nature of the event, decided to adopt with amendments the Constitutional Law Act”, specified the cabinet in communiqué published on Monday 5^th October in the evening. “The referendum on the constitutional law bill is set for Sunday 25^th October 2015”, the same communiqué added, indicating that the campaign for this plebiscite will take place from 9^th to 23^rd October.

The new Constitution bill brings back the presidential term from seven to five years but stipulates that the mandate of the head of State “can be renewed twice”. It also lowers to 30 years (against 40) the minimum age to be candidate to highest office while scraping the maximum age of 70 years.

The Congolese Constitution in effect since 2002 limits to 2 the numbers of presidential bids and the age of the candidates to 70 years. Therefore, it does not allow President Sassou Nguesso, who ends in 2016 his second and in theory last seven-year term, to seek another term.

Denis Sassou Nguesso has accumulated 30 years of the helm of the country. He led Congo during the single-party system, from 1979 until the multi-party elections of 1992, which he lost. Back to power in 1997 following a violent civil war, he was elected president in 2002 and re-elected in 2009.

It is worth noting that the opposition immediately reacted to the notification of a referendum on the revision of the Constitution set up by the president. “This move […] puts the country in chaos and serious crisis”, Clément Miérassa, leader of an opposing party member of the Republican Front for the Respect of Constitutional Order and Democratic Change (FROCAD), then declared.