Early political career In late 2008, Tshisekedi was named the UDPS National Secretary for external relations. In November 2011, he obtained a seat in the
National Assembly, representing the city of
Mbuji Mayi in
Kasai-Oriental province. He did not take his seat, citing a fraudulent election, and his mandate was invalidated for "absenteeism". as CENI's article 17 excludes membership for those who are members of a political formation. The same day, the UDPS nominated him for president in the December 2018
general election. He defeated another opposition leader,
Martin Fayulu, and
Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who was supported by term-limited outgoing President Kabila, who had been president for 18 years. Fayulu, the runner-up, alleged vote rigging and challenged the election results. On 19 January, the
Constitutional Court dismissed the challenge, officially making Tshisekedi president-elect. He was sworn in as president on 24 January 2019, taking office the next day. On 20 January, South Africa congratulated Tshisekedi on his election despite the African Union and EU warning of doubts over the result announced by the Constitutional Court.
Presidency (2019–present) Domestic policy After Tshisekedi was sworn in, it was reported that a member of Kabila's coalition would be picked to serve as his Prime Minister. On 13 March 2019, Tshisekedi signed a decree to pardon approximately 700 prisoners, including imprisoned political opponents of Kabila, and this decision followed his promise given the week before to allow the return of exiles. , April 2019 In early 2019, negotiations were underway between Tshisekedi and Kabila's FCC coalition that controlled the National Assembly and Senate. In late April,
Jeune Afrique reported that Kabila proposed to Tshisekedi the mining company executive
Albert Yuma as a candidate for prime minister. Yuma supports the new Mining Code adopted in 2018, which put the DRC in dispute with international mining companies, and Tshisekedi has been under foreign pressure to not appoint him. The Civil Society of
South Kivu recommended to Tshisekedi the appointment of his chief of staff
Vital Kamerhe as prime minister. For months, Tshisekedi continued working with ministers of Kabila's government as he was hamstrung by parliament. He faced challenges in dealing with the
Kivu conflict as well as the Ebola outbreak in the region. In early March, Tshisekedi started a program to improve infrastructure, transport, education, housing, communication, health, water, and agriculture. at the
Russia–Africa Summit on 23 October 2019 Most of the provincial governorships were also won by Kabila-affiliated candidates. On 20 May 2019, Tshisekedi reached a deal with the
FCC coalition and Kabila, appointing the career civil servant
Sylvestre Ilunga as prime minister. Ilunga began his political career in the 1970s and held a number of cabinet posts under
Mobutu Sese Seko before his overthrow in 1997. He is also an ally of Kabila. In late July 2019, Tshisekedi reached a deal with parliament on forming a new government. Ilunga's new cabinet would include 65 members, 48 ministers and 17 vice-ministers, which should be divided between the Kabila-aligned FCC and Tshisekedi's
CACH alliance. The majority of the ministries went to the FCC, including three of the six most important ones (Defence, Justice, and Finance), while the Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Budget portfolios went to Tshisekedi's allies. at the
2021 G20 Rome summit, October 2021 After a power struggle saw the coalition with allies of Tshisekedi's predecessor break down and many legislators were won over, Ilunga was forced to leave office and Tshisekedi appointed
Gécamines leader
Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde as successor on 15 February 2021. On 12 April 2021, Tshisekedi formally ended his two-year coalition with Kabila and his allies when prime minister Sama Lukonde formed a new government. On national television, Tshisekedi’s spokesman
Kasongo Mwema Yamba Yamba announced a number of new appointments, including
Antoinette N’Samba Kalambayi as mines minister. The president succeeded in ousting the last remaining elements of his government who were loyal to Kabila. in Jerusalem, Israel, October 2021 After
the 2023 presidential election, Tshisekedi had a clear lead in his run for a second term. On 31 December 2023, officials said that Tshisekedi had been re-elected with 73% of the vote. Nine opposition candidates signed a declaration rejecting the election and called for a rerun. On 19 May 2024, he was targeted, alongside his ally
Vital Kamerhe, in an
attempted coup launched by the self-proclaimed
New Zaire, but managed to foil the attempt quickly.
Foreign policy Tshisekedi has called for a review of mining contracts signed with
China by his predecessor Joseph Kabila, especially the Sicomines multibillion
'minerals-for-infrastructure' deal. He has also promised to end and reverse
deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by 2030, in the
COP26 climate summit's first major agreement. In October 2022, Tshisekedi ruled out bringing in Russian mercenaries to help quell a raging
conflict in the east of the country and vowed to press on with economic development plans despite the insecurity in the region. Also that same month he announced military reforms to create a more cohesive national army, which has been a diverse mix of integrated rebel groups and the former military of Mobutu's Zaire. The reform included a new military spending bill. Other measures that he took to strengthen Congo's defenses included appointing new
military chiefs, hiring
Romanian
private military contractors, and bringing additional peacekeepers from the
EAC and
SADC into the
Kivu region. and European Commissioner
Jutta Urpilainen in Kinshasa, 4 March 2023 In May 2023, he visited
China and met with Chinese President
Xi Jinping to strengthen the
partnership with China and renegotiate mining contracts for the DRC's mineral reserves. The Democratic Republic of Congo is a major producer and exporter of
copper,
uranium and
cobalt. In October 2024, Tshisekedi walked out of the
Francophone heads of state retreat in Paris after French president
Emmanuel Macron did not mention the
conflicts in the eastern DRC in his speech. He also boycotted a luncheon hosted by
Organisation internationale de la Francophonie head and former Rwandan foreign minister
Louise Mushikiwabo. On 18 January 2025, Tshisekedi reaffirmed Kinshasa's refusal to engage in dialogue with the
M23 rebels, stating, "Legitimizing these criminals would be an insult to the victims and to international law". Due to
Rwanda's support for the
Goma offensive by the M23 rebels, the DRC severed diplomatic ties between the two countries on 26 January 2025. Tshisekedi called for a national mobilization, urging citizens to rally behind
FARDC against what he called "Rwanda's barbaric aggression". On 8 December 2025, Tshisekedi publicly accused Rwanda of violating a recent peace agreement. ==Honours==