Monday, July 14, 2025

Gabon’s Former Ruling Party in Turmoil: Deep Divisions Shake Gabonese Democratic Party Ahead of September Polls

Libreville, Gabon – July 14, 2025 — The once-dominant Gabonese Democratic Party (GDP), which ruled Gabon unchallenged for decades under the Bongo dynasty, is now fighting for its survival amid a fierce internal power struggle and mounting external competition. More than a year after the military coup that ousted President Ali Bongo Ondimba in August 2023, the party remains deeply fractured, raising doubts about its relevance in Gabon’s new political order.

The crisis came to a head earlier this year when Blaise Louembé was elected as the new party leader in January 2025, replacing the long-serving Ali Bongo. Louembé’s leadership was expected to usher in a new era of stability and reposition the GDP as a serious political force ahead of the September general elections. But instead, his tenure has exposed fault lines that have long existed within the party.

Bongo’s Shadow Still Looms

Ali Bongo, who led the country from 2009 until the military seized power in 2023, continues to cast a long shadow over the party. Though he has been largely absent from the public eye since going into exile with his family in May 2025, a newly revealed handwritten note—reported by French broadcaster RFI—has rekindled tensions within the GDP. In the letter, Bongo reportedly endorsed Ali Akbar Onanga Y’Obégué, a longtime loyalist and former government minister, as the party’s legitimate leader.

“President Bongo’s words carry weight. His endorsement of Onanga Y’Obégué is not only symbolic; it is a direct challenge to the current leadership of Blaise Louembé,” said Dr. Marie Laure Ndong, a political analyst at the University of Libreville. “This deepens the existing fractures and could paralyze the party ahead of crucial elections.”

Onanga Y’Obégué, for his part, has formed a breakaway faction of the GDP, claiming that the party’s current leadership is illegitimate and has deviated from its founding principles.

“We cannot allow the Gabonese Democratic Party to be hijacked by opportunists who bend to the whims of the military,” he said at a press briefing in Port-Gentil last week. “We represent the true legacy of the Bongo vision and the values that built this nation.”

Louembé’s Strategy and Alliance with the Junta

Blaise Louembé, a former Finance Minister and long-time party insider, was seen as a consensus candidate during the party’s January congress. However, his leadership has faced stiff resistance from within.

Louembé has adopted a pragmatic strategy of cooperation with Gabon’s transitional leader, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, the man who led the coup that toppled Bongo. In a surprising turn, the GDP endorsed Nguema’s candidacy in the April 2025 presidential election, which he went on to win in a landslide. The move was seen by some as a political survival tactic and by others as a betrayal.

“We support President Nguema because he represents a chance to restore order and rebuild our institutions,” Louembé said in a recent interview with Africa Live News. “Our country needs unity, not division. The GDP must evolve to remain relevant.”

But not everyone agrees. Senior party figures have accused Louembé of selling out the party’s legacy in exchange for political favors. “Aligning with the military was a miscalculation,” said one senior official who asked not to be named. “The GDP should be standing for democratic values, not enabling a junta.”

A Party Once Untouchable

Founded in 1968 by former President Omar Bongo, the Gabonese Democratic Party was the sole legal political party in the country until the reintroduction of multiparty politics in 1990. Even after that, the GDP maintained its grip on power for over three decades through a mixture of patronage, electoral control, and constitutional manipulation.

For years, it appeared invincible—until the August 2023 coup d’état ended its uninterrupted rule. The military takeover was triggered by allegations of electoral fraud in the 2023 general election, which international observers widely condemned as flawed.

“The fall of the GDP from power was a seismic event,” said political historian Arnaud Okome. “It sent a clear message that no political force in Gabon is immune from accountability.”

New Political Rival Emerges

Adding to the GDP’s troubles is the emergence of a new political heavyweight: the Democratic Union of Builders (Union Démocratique des Bâtisseurs, UDB), founded by President Brice Oligui Nguema on July 5, 2025. The party, formed just months before the general elections, has attracted a growing number of supporters and defectors from traditional parties, including the GDP.

“The UDB represents a fresh start for Gabonese politics,” President Nguema declared during the launch event in Libreville. “We are not here to continue old rivalries. We are here to rebuild a nation in the interest of all Gabonese citizens.”

Analysts say Nguema’s party could become the dominant force in Gabonese politics if the GDP fails to resolve its internal conflicts.

“With the UDB rising and the GDP divided, the upcoming elections could redefine the political landscape of Gabon for the next generation,” said Ndong.

What’s Next for the GDP?

With general elections scheduled for September, time is running out for the Gabonese Democratic Party to unify and reassert itself. The splintering of the party and its uncertain direction have already weakened its electoral prospects.

There is also growing pressure from civil society and younger voters for real political change. Many see the internal feuds within the GDP as evidence of outdated politics disconnected from the realities of modern Gabon.

“We need parties that speak to our concerns—education, jobs, healthcare—not just loyalty to old regimes,” said 26-year-old student activist Sandrine Koumba. “This infighting makes it clear they are not ready to lead us into the future.”

Whether the GDP can recover and reposition itself in time remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that the political monopoly it once enjoyed is over—and its future now depends on its ability to adapt, reform, and reconnect with the people it once ruled unchallenged.

By Dickson Boadi | Africa Live News
Reporting from Libreville and Port-Gentil

 

Africa Live News
Africa Live Newshttps://africalivenews.com/
Your trusted source for real-time news and updates from across the African continent. We bring you the latest stories, trends, and insights from politics, business, entertainment, and more. Stay informed, stay ahead with Africa Live News

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