In Gabon, the establishment of the 5th Republic is gaining momentum. Following the formation of his government, President Oligui Nguema convened all legally recognized political party leaders at the presidential palace on Wednesday, May 7. The meeting focused on implementing recommendations from the national dialogue held in April 2024, which aimed to reduce the number of political parties and define criteria for their creation. During the meeting, President Nguema announced his intention to enforce these recommendations, leading to diverging opinions among attendees.
Brice Oligui Nguema addressed the participants with a firm stance. The national dialogue last year concluded that the presence of 106 political parties was excessive for a country with a population of only 2 million. As a result, the decision was made to tighten the requirements for establishing a new party. The president emphasized this commitment.
Blaise Louembé, head of the Democratic Party of Gabon, the former ruling party, expressed satisfaction after the meeting. He stated, “The Democratic Party of Gabon fully shares the concerns of His Excellency the President. He is merely putting into action the agreements from the national dialogue, which our party fully supports.”
Conversely, concerns were raised by Theodore Mayaza, leader of the Gathering of Independent Democrats, who warned that this move could signify a regression of democracy and a subtle return to a single-party system. “I am genuinely afraid. We must continue with multipartyism; reverting to a single party, which we have already put an end to, is not acceptable,” he lamented.
To move forward, a commission has been established to propose definitive criteria that will be incorporated into the forthcoming legislation concerning political parties. Another commission will address the issue of electoral districting.
This ongoing discussion highlights the complexity of political reform in Gabon and the varying perspectives on the future of democracy in the country. The government’s approach may indeed shape the political landscape for years to come, fostering a new era in Gabon’s governance.