The Republic of the Congo has re-elected Denis Sassou Nguesso. The longtime leader has been president since 1997. Prior to this he served as president from 1979 to 1992. The Republic of the Congo had fallen into civil war between the years of 1997 to 1999. Various militias were fighting for a certain political candidate. Prior to this the country faced another civil war between 1993 to 1994. These wars caused much instability in the Congo and the surrounding region. The reason President Nguesso continues to remain in power is because he is seen as a stabilizing force. There are citizens that may want to see a change in administration, but over the decades President Nguesso built a strong base. Even when he was defeated in the 1992 elections, he had enough support to engineer a political comeback. This was not only done with traditional political maneuvering, but with the aid of armed force. The 2015 referendum allowed for the elimination of term limits. It is possible that the political system has made it so that Denis Sassou Nguesso could be president for life. A country that is rich in oil has to spread the wealth to the majority of the population. If the Nguesso administration does not address economic and political challenges growing discord could cause another civil war.
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