Gabon - June 2025

On 27 June, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema promulgated a law that imposes strict new regulations on political parties and is likely to significantly reconfigure the political landscape. According to the government, its objective is to rationalise the party system, making political parties stronger and more accountable and reduce their number–—currently more than 100. Many of these are thought to be ‘shell’ parties, allegedly established as vehicles for personal political ambition or corruption. Among the law’s provisions are requirements that new parties have a membership of at least 10,000 people across all nine of Gabon’s provinces, that they participate in elections, file extensive documentation and undergo an annual review of funding. While acknowledging the need for rationalization, political actors and commentators warned the new law will narrow political competition, with very few parties likely to be able to meet its demands. They have one year to do so.     

Sources: Loi n°016/2025 du 27 juin 2025 relative aux partis politique en République Gabonaise, Jeune Afrique (1), Jeune Afrique (2), info241