The Senate of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has formally initiated the second reading of the proposed law governing the organization of a national referendum. Senate President Sama Lukonde announced on Wednesday, June 10, during a plenary session that the text, transmitted by the National Assembly, had been referred to the Political, Administrative, and Legal Affairs Commission (PAJ) for thorough examination.

The PAJ commission has been granted a three-day window to finalize its report before presenting it to the full Senate for deliberation. This legislative milestone follows the National Assembly’s adoption of the proposal on May 9, when 348 deputies voted in favor, two against, and one abstained out of 351 voting members.

The referendum law proposal was initiated by National Assembly deputy Paul-Gaspard Ngondankoy, representing Yahuma territory in Tshopo Province. The legislation aims to establish the procedural framework for organizing a referendum, a critical step in the country’s democratic process.

Legal experts and political analysts suggest that the proposed law could significantly impact the timing and methodology of future constitutional referendums in the DRC, particularly concerning the interpretation of constitutional limits and the role of the sovereign people in such processes.