Congo president to face six challengers in March 15 elections

The President of the Republic of the Congo, Denis Sassou-Nguesso, will face six candidates in the elections scheduled for March 15, 2026, after the registration period for candidates closed. The confirmed contenders include Anguios Nganguia Engambé, Mabio Mavoungou Zinga, Vivien Romain Manangou, Dave Mafoula Uphreim, Joseph Kignoumbi–Kia Mboungou, and Mélaine Destin Gavet Elengo. None of them are considered rivals with clear chances of defeating the incumbent. The final list of candidates must be validated by the Constitutional Court before the electoral campaign begins. For their part, the main opposition parties have chosen to boycott the process, in protest at what they consider a lack of democratic guarantees.

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Sassou-Nguesso, 82, led the country between 1979 and 1992 and returned to power in 1997 after an internal conflict. Since then, he has maintained the political leadership of the country, supported by constitutional reforms that have allowed him to run for office on multiple occasions. The March 15 elections represent a challenge for the Congo, where the president's figure remains dominant, while the opposition seeks to consolidate a more significant political alternative ahead of the elections.