The problem and prospects of a peaceful transfer of power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The relevance of this research stems from the ongoing problem of peaceful transition of power in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which negatively impacts the country's socio-political development. The object of this research is the peaceful transition of power in the DRC. The subject of this research is the specific features of the process of peaceful transfer of power in the DRC at the present stage. The goal of this research is to identify the factors influencing the implementation of a peaceful transition of power in the DRC. Particular attention is paid to solving such problems as identifying the factors that contributed to the successful process of the first peaceful transfer of power in the DRC, presenting the FCC-CACH coalition as a manifestation of the unfinished transition of power, determining the role of external forces in the issue of peaceful transition of power in the DRC, and assessing the prospects of maintaining F. Tshisekedi in power after 2028. The research methods used were historical and comparative to compare the existing conditions for the implementation of the peaceful transition of power in the DRC from 1990 to 2021, event analysis for a detailed study of the actions of political actors who facilitated or hindered the process under study, and content analysis for a detailed examination of Congolese legislative texts. The scientific novelty of the study lies in identifying specific features that facilitate and hinder the process of peaceful transition of power in the DRC, based on an analysis of the intra-Congolese historical experience of power transfer and the influence of the international community on this process, as well as in forecasting the possible nature of the transition of power in the DRC in the future. The author concludes that in the history of the DRC, a genuine peaceful transition of power only occurred in 2019, but it was incomplete. Some of the main problems impeding a peaceful transition of power in the DRC are, firstly, the lack of desire on the part of the Congolese authorities to facilitate the transfer of their responsibilities, secondly, the disunity of the Congolese opposition, and thirdly, the presence of major conflicts within the DRC. The international community also plays a significant role in this issue. The possibility of a peaceful transition of power after 2028 appears realistic only if the international community opposes F. Tshisekedi's constitutional reform.