Human habitation of what is now the Congo came relatively late due to the dense forest of the region. Early societies were based on farming and hunting, but eventually agriculture and trade became important sectors. While the Portuguese were the first Europeans to reach the Congo, it eventually became a French colony, from which it achieved independence in 1960. From 1969 to 1992, the country was a single-party authoritarian state. In the 1992 multiparty elections, Denis Sassou-Nguesso (who had been in power since 1979) was defeated by Pascal Lissouba. A subsequent civil war, which saw Angolan intervention, restored Nguesso to the presidency in 1997, an office he has retained to the present. Politics continue to be driven by the regime’s desire to maintain power and control the substantial oil rents of the country. Opposition and civil society activists are subjected to arbitrary detention and their right to freedom of assembly restricted. A 2015 constitutional replacement was interpreted to have reset presidential term limits, allowing the president to seek three more consecutive terms in office.   

For the general population, issues of development and corruption loom large. Despite structural reforms in education and public health, the Republic of the Congo has made little progress in these areas, which is reflected in its low standing in the UN Human Development Index. In addition, 52.5 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line, and domestic food production only accounts for 30 per cent of the Central African nation’s total need. At the same time, it is one of the most corrupt countries in the world and graft is a major concern for Congolese citizens. 

Issues of discrimination are also salient in the Republic of the Congo. The legacy of the civil war and modern-day patronage politics have resulted in significant tensions between members of the Mbochi and Lari ethnic groups. This ethnic cleavage is central to Congolese politics, as the Mbochi of the North are favored by the government’s patronage networks. At the same time, the Lari of the South face heavier governmental repression. Indigenous groups, including semi-nomadic hunter-gatherer peoples, also face significant discrimination and disproportionate levels of poverty, as well as environmental challenges related to the country’s extractive industries. Women’s rights challenges include gender-based violence and underrepresentation in politics, although recently-enacted laws seek to ameliorate both of these circumstances. Indigenous women, on the other hand, face profound barriers to accessing both healthcare and education.  

Over the next few years, the political space is expected to remain largely closed to democratic contestation. Freedom of Association and Assembly and Civil Liberties more broadly should be monitored for further declines, particularly as the 2026 elections draw nearer.   

Last updated: July 2024