Congo Election Expected to Extend Sassou Nguesso's Rule

Voters in the Republic of Congo headed to the polls on Sunday for a presidential election widely expected to extend President Denis Sassou Nguesso's decades-long rule in the oil-rich Central African nation. The 82-year-old incumbent, who has governed for all but five years since seizing power in 1979, faced six lesser-known challengers in a contest marked by opposition fragmentation and widespread voter disinterest.

Sassou Nguesso, a former paratrooper and leader of the ruling Congolese Labour Party, first took office under a one-party system and returned to power in 1997 following a civil war that ousted his successor. A 2015 referendum removed presidential term limits and age restrictions, enabling his continued candidacies. He won his previous election in 2021 with nearly 89 percent of the vote amid similar criticisms of limited competition. More than 3.2 million people were eligible to participate, with polls open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time. Authorities closed borders during voting, and security forces cast ballots a day early to facilitate oversight at polling stations.

The challengers included Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou, a 73-year-old veteran lawmaker seeking a...