The European Parliament is extremely concerned about the political crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with its deadly violence against civilians and the determination of its president, Joseph Kabila, to stay in power after 19 December 2016, in disregard of the Constitution.
In a resolution adopted in Brussels on Thursday 1 December, MEPs deplore the loss of human life in the anti-Kabila demonstrations in the DRC over recent months, and urge the EU to adopt targeted sanctions (a visa-ban and a freeze on assets held in the EU) against those responsible for the violent repression of these street demonstrations.
MEPs urge the government to release political prisoners and journalists, and to ensure the return to constitutional order.
Kabila recently appointed Sami Badibanga as prime minister, following a controversial agreement on sharing power between the government and marginal opposition groups (see EUROPE 11675). Presidential and parliamentary elections have been postponed until April 2018.
In an earlier debate on 6 October about the situation in the DRC, MEPs had condemned the regime's violence in the strongest terms, and had called for credible elections as soon as possible (see EUROPE 11640). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)