Elections started in Democratic Republic of Congo
The head of the UN peacekeeping force in Congo (Monusco), Bintou Keita, had reported an "escalation of violence, vandalism and destruction of campaign material as well as hate speech" in the run-up to the election campaign. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the poorest countries in the world despite its rich natural resources, with two thirds of the population living below the poverty line. Armed rebel groups have been active in the east of the country for decades.
President Tshisekedi, who has been in power since 2019, has an excellent chance of being re-elected in the face of a divided opposition. In addition to the 60-year-old, 18 candidates are running for president. Tshisekedi' s biggest challenger is probably the wealthy businessman and former governor of the mining province of Katanga, Moïse Katumbi. The election results are not expected to be announced for several days.
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Tshisekedi, the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who began his term in 2019, is highly likely to secure a re-election, given the divided opposition. Western Europe has shown interest in the elections, hoping for a more democratic republic in Congo. Felix Tshisekedi's main contender in the Presidential election is Moïse Katumbi, a wealthy businessman from Katanga. Despite the escalation of violence and hate speeches reported by the UN peacekeeping force, Monusco, the election results will be announced in several days. If Tshisekedi succeeds in the elections, his presidency would mark the continuation of the un-peace force's mandate in Congo.
Source: www.stern.de
