Congo extends chaotic election as opposition calls for rerun

Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) agent checks electoral materials at the Mavuno polling centre on the day of the presidential election in Goma, North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo December 20, 2023. REUTERS/Arlette Bashizi

KINSHASA/GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) -Democratic Republic of Congo has extended elections into Thursday for those whose polling stations did not open on Wednesday, prompting a group of opposition presidential candidates to call for a rerun of the chaotic vote.

At stake is not just the legitimacy of the next administration. Congolese election disputes often spark unrest with potentially far-reaching consequences. Congo is the world's third-largest copper producer, and the top producer of cobalt, a battery component needed for the green transition.