Republic of Congo Holds Election Amid Internet Outage and Low Voter Turnout

The Republic of Congo held a presidential election with incumbent Denis Sassou Nguesso seeking another term after governing almost continuously since 1979. Voter turnout appeared subdued, with short or no lines at polling stations, amid a nationwide internet blackout similar to the 2021 election, which rights groups say may limit transparency. Sassou faced six lesser-known opponents amid a fragmented opposition and electoral bodies aligned with his party. Provisional results are expected within 48 to 72 hours.