Tshisekedi Signs Law Enabling Constitutional Referendum in Congo

President Felix Tshisekedi signed Law number 26/045 on November 9, 2026, establishing a framework to draft a new constitution or amend existing provisions through a national referendum. The legislation, which took effect immediately after approval by the National Assembly and Senate, eases the requirements for constitutional changes two years before the scheduled 2028 elections.

Opposition groups, including the C64 platform, have condemned the move as a "constitutional coup." Critics argue the law provides a mechanism to bypass Article 220, which prohibits changes to presidential term limits. While Tshisekedi has denied seeking a third term, he stated he would accept one if the Congolese people desired it. No date or specific questions for a referendum have been announced.

In response to the legislation, former President Joseph Kabila has assumed leadership of the Front for the Refoundation of the Nation, a renamed eastern rebellion formerly known as M23. Kabila, who is under US sanctions and was sentenced to death in absentia for treason, vowed to end the government's tyranny by force if necessary to stop the constitutional changes. Meanwhile, Tshisekedi has warned that ongoing rebel control in North and South Kivu could disrupt the 2028 election schedule.