The composition of the National Assembly has been definitively confirmed with the breakthrough of the ruling party, which secured additional seats following the disputes brought before the Constitutional Court after the legislative elections on December 20th, 2023. Few appeals were upheld, with only 43 out of 1,123 petitions deemed valid. A total of 43 deputies out of the 477 elected have been invalidated. They will be replaced in the Assembly in the coming hours.
With at least five additional seats, the ruling party UDPS confirms its position as the main force within the majority. It may assert its claim to the position of Prime Minister. Despite losing four seats, Vital Kamerhe’s UNC maintains its second position within the majority. Several of its leaders believe it is sufficient to claim the presidency of the DRC National Assembly, although they are unhappy with the loss of seats.
The biggest loser is Modeste Bahati, whose coalition lost six seats, relinquishing its third position. The same fate befell the AB50 bloc led by Industry Minister Julien Paluku, which lost three seats. However, the opposition remains a minority, holding fewer than thirty seats out of the 477 filled at this stage.
Rescued
Among those rescued by the Constitutional Court are three members of the government, two provincial governors from the Northeast of the country, and figures such as former Prime Minister Sammy Badibanga and former Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Masangu.
While this list is legally indisputable, several power brokers revealed on Thursday evening “material errors” and are considering recourse options for cases they deem “blatant.” Another scenario involves the removal of the two youngest members of the National Assembly’s age bureau since January 2022, following the invalidation of their election confirmed by the electoral commission at the end of 2023.