President Brice Oligui Nguema’s Democratic Union of Builders (UDB) is on course to emerge as the largest force in Gabon’s 145-seat National Assembly after Saturday’s run-off elections, according to provisional tallies from the electoral body.
The second round was held in 77 constituencies where no candidate secured an outright majority in the first vote. Early results indicate UDB is poised to win about 55 seats, while the opposition Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) of former president Ali Bongo—ousted in the August 2023 coup—had three seats from the first round and is competing in many of the run-off districts.
While 55 seats would leave UDB short of an absolute majority on its own, the outcome gives Nguema a significant mandate to shape a governing coalition and advance his post-transition agenda following his April presidential victory. The new legislature caps a political reset that began with the military takeover last year, ending 55 years of Bongo family rule in the oil-rich Central African nation.
The run-off largely became a head-to-head between UDB and the PDG, underscoring a reconfigured landscape in which former regime loyalists sought to retain influence amid the transition. Final certified results and the distribution of the remaining seats—including wins by smaller parties and independents—will determine whether UDB can secure a working majority through alliances.
A strengthened parliamentary position would help the presidency move forward on promised reforms to improve governance, retool oil-sector management, and diversify the economy. But with UDB likely needing partners to pass legislation, the next days of coalition bargaining will be pivotal for policy stability and investor confidence as Gabon exits its transition phase.
