The General Directorate of Electoral Affairs (DGAE) closed, on June 7, the registration of candidates for the legislative and local elections of July 10, in Congo-Brazzaville. The final lists are now displayed. In some constituencies, major duels are expected between government candidates, from a party of the opposition which has chosen to participate and even independents.
With our correspondent in Brazzaville, Loicia Martial
In the single constituency of Mayama in Pool (South), a region neighboring Brazzaville, the battle will be tough: the National Council of Republicans (CNR) of former rebel leader Frédéric Bintsamou, alias Pasteur Ntoumi, has positioned Ané Philippe Bibi.
He will have as opponents, in particular Roger Ndokolo, an independent from the diaspora and very close to power. Or Prince Bertrand Bahamboula of the Congolese Labor Party (PCT), the main formation of the majority and which has controlled the National Assembly since 2002.
Another hot fight: in Mouyondzi in Bouenza (South), the duel will notably oppose Jacqueline Lydia Mikolo, the current Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Claudine Munari. This former chief of staff of Pascal Lissouba, then minister under Denis Sassou Nguesso, has already been a deputy for Mouyondzi in the past.
More than 570 candidates will compete to try to snatch the 151 seats in the lower house of Parliament. The participation rate will be one of the main issues of this election which will take place in two phases: July 4 for the defense and security forces, and July 10 for the rest of the population.