List of presidents of the Republic of the Congo

This is a list of presidents of the Republic of the Congo since the formation of the post of president in 1960, to the present day.

Not to be confused with President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

President of the Republic of the Congo
Président de la République du Congo (French)
Coat of arms of the Republic of the Congo
Incumbent Denis Sassou Nguesso since 25 October 1997
Residence	Presidential Palace, Brazzaville[1]
Term length	5 years, renewable
Inaugural holder	Fulbert Youlou
Formation	15 August 1960
Salary	108,400 USD annually[2]
Website	Official Website

A total of six people have served as President of the Republic of the Congo (not counting one acting/interim head of state and two collective presidencies). Additionally, one person, Denis Sassou Nguesso, has served on two non-consecutive occasions.

Term limits

The new constitution in 2015 removed the age limit, reduced the length of presidential term from seven years to five, and extended term limits from two to three terms.^[3]

List of officeholders

Political parties

  Democratic Union for the Defense of African Interests (UDDIA)

  National Movement of the Revolution (MNR)

  Congolese Party of Labour (PCT)

  Pan-African Union for Social Democracy (UPADS)

Other factions

  Military

Status

  Denotes Acting/Interim Head of State

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party	Prime minister(s)
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
Republic of the Congo (1963–1969)
1		Fulbert Youlou (1917–1972)	1961	15 August 1960	15 August 1963 (deposed)	3 years	UDDIA	Position not established
2		Alphonse Massamba-Débat (1921–1977)[lower-alpha 1]	1963	16 August 1963	4 September 1968 (deposed)	5 years, 19 days	MNR	Himself Lissouba Noumazalaye Raoul
–		Alfred Raoul (1938–1999)	—	5 September 1968	1 January 1969	118 days	Military	Himself
3		Marien Ngouabi (1938–1977)	—	1 January 1969	31 December 1969	364 days	Military / PCT	Position abolished
People's Republic of the Congo (1973–1992)
(3)		Marien Ngouabi (1938–1977)	1974[4]	31 December 1969	18 March 1977 (assassinated)	7 years, 77 days	Military / PCT	Lopes Goma
–		Military Committee of the PCT Chairman: Joachim Yhombi-Opango (1939–2020)	—	18 March 1977	3 April 1977	16 days	Military / PCT	Goma
4		Joachim Yhombi-Opango (1939–2020)	—	3 April 1977	5 February 1979 (resigned)	1 year, 308 days	Military / PCT	Goma
–		Presidium of the Central Committee of the PCT Chairman: Jean-Pierre Thystère Tchicaya (1936–2008)	—	5 February 1979	8 February 1979	3 days	PCT	Goma
5		Denis Sassou Nguesso (born 1943)	1979[4][5] 1984[4][6] 1989[4][7]	8 February 1979	15 March 1992	13 years, 36 days	Military / PCT	Goma Poungui Poaty-Souchlaty Moussa Goma Milongo
Republic of the Congo (1992–present)
(5)		Denis Sassou Nguesso (born 1943)	—	15 March 1992	31 August 1992	169 days	PCT	Milongo
6		Pascal Lissouba (1931–2020)	1992	31 August 1992	25 October 1997 (deposed)	5 years, 55 days	UPADS	Milongo Bongho-Nouarra Dacosta Yhombi-Opango Ganao Kolélas
(5)		Denis Sassou Nguesso (born 1943)	2002 2009 2016 2021	25 October 1997	Incumbent	26 years, 340 days	PCT	Mvouba Mouamba Collinet Makosso

Notes

1. Styled as Chairman of the National Council of the Revolution until 19 December 1963.

Timeline

Latest election

Main article: 2021 Republic of the Congo presidential election

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Denis Sassou-Nguesso	Congolese Party of Labour	1,539,725	88.40
	Guy Brice Parfait Kolélas	Union of Humanist Democrats–YUKI	138,561	7.96
	Mathias Dzon	Patriotic Union for National Renewal	33,497	1.92
	Joseph Kignoumbi Kia Mboungou	La Chaine	10,718	0.62
	Dave Mafoula	Sovereigntists	9,143	0.52
	Albert Oniangué	Independent	6,977	0.40
	Anguios Nganguia Engambé	Party for Action of the Republic	3,157	0.18
Total			1,741,778	100.00
Valid votes			1,741,778	98.03
Invalid/blank votes			35,008	1.97
Total votes			1,776,786	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			2,645,283	67.17
Source: Constitutional Court

See also

• Republic of the Congo portal

• Politics of the Republic of the Congo
• List of prime ministers of the Republic of the Congo
• Vice President of the Republic of the Congo

References

1. Palais présidentiel ou Palais du Peuple
2. "The highest and lowest paid African presidents - Business Daily". Business Daily. 27 December 2020.
3. Cook, Candace; Siegle, Joseph. "Circumvention of Term Limits Weakens Governance in Africa". Africa Center for Strategic Studies.
4. Elections in Congo-Brazzaville African Elections Database
5. May 1979 – Appointment of President Sassou-Ngouesso confirmed – President elected Prime Minister – Ex-President to be tried for Treason. Vol. 25. Congo. May 1979. pp. 29, 628. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
6. "Nov 1984 – Re-election of President – Government changes", Keesing's Record of World Events, volume 30, November 1984, Congo, page 33,201.
7. "Aug 1989 – Congo", Keesing's Record of World Events, volume 35, August 1989, Congo, page 36,842.

External links

• World Statesmen (Congo-Brazzaville)