Is an election democratic if its outcome is known in advance ?

The question frames the March 2026 presidential election in the Republic of the Congo, where Denis Sassou Nguesso, aged 82 and in power for over four decades, has secured a fifth term with a respectable 94.82% of the vote, according to results announced on national television.

The campaign unfolded in a constrained political environment, marked by the absence, boycott or marginalisation of key opposition figures and restrictions on political freedoms. The continued detention of former presidential candidates Jean-Marie Michel Mokoko and André Okombi Salissa, arrested in 2016-2017 and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment despite serious concerns over the fairness of their trials, further illustrates these constraints.

As Reuters noted, “lack of suspense over the outcome” of the election reflected a broader system characterised by a high concentration of power and limited prospects for alternation.

On polling day, turnout appeared modest, particularly in Brazzaville, suggesting not only scepticism but a deeper erosion of belief in political change, whether through elections or public mobilisation. In contexts where both institutional and street-based avenues seem closed, the absence of mobilisation becomes as telling as protest itself.

A nationwide internet shutdown was also reported, echoing practices observed in previous elections and raising concerns about transparency.

In this context, the stakes extend beyond a widely anticipated result. The issue is less whether an election was held than whether it offers a credible framework for choice.

Restoring the conditions for meaningful political competition requires not only transparency, observer access and verifiable results, but also the gradual re-emergence of civic engagement, a process that depends on rebuilding both awareness and confidence in the possibility of change.