After six weeks of political maneuvering, the so-called “national dialogue” – aimed at resolving a political impasse ahead of presidential elections originally scheduled for November in the Democratic Republic of Congo – concluded yesterday with dim hopes of easing tensions in the country.

Two dozen members of the pro-democracy youth movement LUCHA led a march to the electoral commission’s office in the eastern city of Goma, and delivered a list of youth volunteers available and willing to help organize elections, on October 18, 2016. © 2016 Private

Under the signed agreement, President Joseph Kabila will remain in office beyond December 19 – the end of the constitutionally mandated two-term limit – and until presidential elections are held. The pact lays out a process for holding elections no later than the end of April 2018 – but doesn’t provide a specific polling day and it describes a number of challenges that could further delay the vote. The agreement also provides for a new “government of national unity” to be appointed within 21 days – November 8 – and that the prime minister post will be given to someone from the opposition.

Most of Congo’s main opposition parties either refused to participate or merely observed the dialogue, fearing it was just a ploy for President Kabila to stay in power past his term and buy time to try to amend the constitution to allow a third term.

Many opposition figures have already rejected the agreement, calling instead for a transitional leader, who could not be a presidential candidate, to lead the country while elections are organized. They also called on Kabila to step down on December 19 to avoid further delays and potential instability. Some argue that the president of the Senate should lead during the transitional period, given the constitutional provision for the Senate president to temporarily take over the functions of the presidency in the case of a “vacancy.”

Jean-Marc Kabund, secretary general of the opposition Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), rejected the agreement, demanding a “genuine dialogue.” The Research Institute for Human Rights (Institut de Recherche en Droits Humains, IRDH), a Congolese human rights group, also denounced the agreement and said it would only intensify the country’s political crisis. The Bukavu-based human rights organization Héritiers de la Justice called the agreement a “blatant violation” of the country’s constitution.

To protest the dialogue’s conclusions, two dozen members of the pro-democracy youth movement Lutte pour le Changement (LUCHA) led a march to the electoral commission’s office in the eastern city of Goma, and delivered a list of youth volunteers available and willing to help organize elections.

Opposition leaders and others have called for protests and “ville mortes” (or general strikes) on October 19.

The European Union’s Foreign Affairs Council called on Monday for “a new phase of a more inclusive political process in the coming weeks,” with participation by all major political families and civil society. Contrary to yesterday’s agreement, the council urged Congolese stakeholders that the “dialogue must lead to the holding of presidential and legislative elections as soon as possible in 2017.”

The conclusion of the national dialogue failed to ease tensions and has left a political impasse. That keeps the door open for more protests, violence, and repression in the coming weeks.