France Warns of Violent Demos As DRC Extends Presidential Poll

France’s foreign minister has criticised the decision to postpone the presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo from November this year to 2018, the Reuters news agency is reporting.

The measure was approved by the country’s constitutional court on Monday.

Critics have seen the delay as a way to keep President Joseph Kabila in power – he was supposed to step down by December, when his second term comes to an end.

The electoral commission says it needs more time to create an up-to-date electoral list.

Reuters quotes French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault as saying:

“There is only one way to get out of the crisis and that is that the president does not present himself and arranges elections.”