At stake in this Referendum:

• This referendum asks voters to approve of the country's new constitution.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Joseph KABILA *
• Head of Government: President Joseph KABILA **
• Assembly: Democratic Republic of the Congo has a unicameral Transitional Constituent Assembly with 500 seats.

* Joseph KABILA succeeded to the presidency following the assassination of his father, Laurent Desire KABILA, on 16 January 2001.

** The president is both the chief of state and head of government.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• Approval of Draft Constitution * 'Do you approve of the draft Constitution that is submitted to you?'
  'Approuvez-vous le projet de Constitution qui vous est soumis?'

* Main provisions include:

• A firm system of checks and balances between the president, the prime minister and the parliament;
• A deadline of June 2006 for presidential and parliamentary elections;
• A reduction of the age requirement for presidential candidates from 35 to 30 years;
• A limit of two five-year terms for a president elected by popular vote;
• Citizenship for members of all ethnic groups living in the country at the time of its independence in 1960; Free primary education for all children.

Electoral Requirements

• An absolute majority is needed for the referendum to pass.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 60,085,804 (July 2005 est.)
• Registered Voters: 25,021,703 (December 2005)​

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 28,213,036 (2005)

·         Is Democratic Republic of the Congo a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Democratic Republic of the Congo ratified CEDAW: Yes (17 October 1986)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: N/A

·         Human Development Index Position: 176 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Democratic Republic of the Congo a signatory to CRPD: No

·         Has Democratic Republic of the Congo ratified CRPD: Yes, accession (30 September 2015)

·         Population with a disability: 9,012,870 (est.)