In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the financial burden of financing elections remains a consistent challenge. The country, home to almost 100 million inhabitants, faces significant difficulties with infrastructure and logistics especially in rural areas. This makes transporting electoral materials a cumbersome task, further complicated by frequent delays in distributing public funds to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI). As a result, questions about the state’s capacity to handle election-related expenses arise.
While a lot of attention is given to the logistical challenges in the country, less is said about the financial difficulties faced by political candidates. This Cost of Politics report explores how candidates fund their political office bids, especially those running for the National Assembly. The research, following the Westminster Foundation for Democracy’s methodology, looks at the costs incurred by candidates from the moment they decide to run through to the end of their term. The report also looks at how candidates raise money, where they allocate the funds and the obstacles they face.
Interviews with 22 political figures, including current and former representatives, unsuccessful candidates, and a nearly equal gender representation shed light on the financial pressures of Congolese politics. Using focus groups and civil society representatives, the report highlights the significant impact these costs have on women and youth.
The findings reveal that the high cost of running for office disproportionately favours wealthy individuals, undermining the inclusiveness of the DRC’s democratic system. Young people, often burdened by high unemployment and limited financial means, are particularly disadvantaged.”One of the most important is that the high cost of politics undermines the inclusiveness of Congolese democracy by skewing the representativeness of the National Assembly in favour of the wealthy while disadvantaging women and young people, who often have fewer financial resources” as quoted by the author Camille Forite. Addressing this issue requires revising the 2008 law on public financing of political parties, creating a legal framework for campaign financing, and supporting initiatives that promote greater political participation by women and youth. These reforms would contribute to a more equal playing field and a stronger democratic process in the DRC.
For a more comprehensive understanding of the financial and logistical challenges faced by political candidates seeking office in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including insights into campaign financing, barriers to entry for women and youth, click below:
This study is supported by the WYDE Civic Engagement project, which aims to empower youth in democratic processes. Through this research, the Cost of Politics reports unlock the unique processes of electoral participation and their impact on democracy in different countries.
Led by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy in partnership with the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy, with support from the European Partnership for Democracy.
