In a video released on Sunday, June 22, Gabon’s Head of State announced that he will officially launch his own political party on Saturday, June 28, during a major rally at the Palais des Sports in Libreville.
Brice Oligui Nguema, who ran as an independent candidate in the April 12 presidential election and won by a large majority, made this declaration standing under a tree, surrounded by more than a dozen men and women.
“The general elections you gave me now require a political instrument capable of uniting all constructive forces of our country. For that reason, I have the honor of inviting you to the general assembly that marks the beginning of our journey on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 10 a.m.,” he said.
The announcement sparked swift political reactions in Gabon. Opposition figure Jean-Rémy Yama criticized the move, although he acknowledged that the President has the right to create his own party.
“[This initiative] was unnecessary because the Constitution grants the President full powers—he doesn’t even need a parliamentary majority,” Yama argued.
This declaration came five days after Gabon’s Parliament approved a new draft law on political parties (on Tuesday, June 17), which aims to reduce the number of political parties from 103 to only three or four, as proposed during the national dialogue held in April last year.
