DRC constitutional battle over 2028 succession intensifies amid reform push

President Felix Tshisekedi's reform agenda is fuelling a political battle in the Democratic Republic of the Congo over what will happen when his current mandate ends in 2028. The dispute centres on whether constitutional change could eventually affect the rules governing presidential succession and term limits. It is unfolding in Kinshasa while the country is also dealing with an armed rebellion in the east.

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Under the current constitution, the president is elected for five years and may be renewed once, while the number and length of presidential terms are protected from constitutional revision. Tshisekedi said in May that he had not sought a third term, but would accept one if the Congolese people wanted him to continue. That remark revived opposition fears that a reform process could be used to open a path beyond the existing two-term limit.

The immediate political stakes increased in June when parliament passed legislation setting out conditions for organising a referendum. In July, the Constitutional Court said the law complied with the constitution, while also raising concerns about some of its provisions. On 10 August, Tshisekedi formally asked the presidents of the National Assembly and Senate to reconsider the legislation in light of the court's observations, and the National Assembly said the matter would be placed on the agenda for its September session.

The government has presented constitutional reform as a response to institutional needs, while opponents say the process could be used to alter the rules that currently prevent Tshisekedi from seeking another term. The legislation includes a mechanism for a constituent assembly followed by a referendum in the event of what it describes as a major dysfunction of state institutions. Critics argue that this wording could create room for broader constitutional change than the government publicly acknowledges.

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The dispute matters because it touches the core of political succession in a country where constitutional rules have long been central to debates over power, legitimacy and stability. It also comes at a time when the state is under pressure from the M23 rebellion in the east, which operates within the broader Alliance Fleuve Congo coalition and controls Goma and Bukavu, the capitals of North Kivu and South Kivu. That overlap gives the constitutional debate wider significance, because it is taking place alongside an active security crisis.

Tshisekedi's reform push is now intersecting with opposition mobilisation plans for September and with preparations for an inclusive national dialogue. Those parallel tracks suggest that the coming weeks could bring both institutional negotiation and street-level political pressure. The timing also means the debate is likely to shape how parties position themselves well before the 2028 vote.

For now, it remains unclear whether the referendum legislation will be revised, how far the national dialogue will go, or whether the constitutional question will be narrowed to institutional reform or broadened into a succession fight. What happens in the September parliamentary session will be closely watched, as will any further statement from Tshisekedi on the scope of change he wants. The key issue is whether the process stays within the current constitutional framework or becomes a vehicle for altering the rules on presidential terms.

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