2016 Republic of the Congo presidential election  Presidential elections were held in the Republic of the Congo on 20 March 2016. It was the first election to be held under the constitution passed by referendum in 2015. President Denis Sassou Nguesso, who had exhausted the two-term limit imposed by the previous constitution, was allowed to run again due to the adoption of the new constitution. He won re-election in the first round of voting, receiving 60% of the vote. The President of the Republic of the Congo is elected using the two-round system. On 14 January 2016, a law was adopted creating a new electoral commission, the Independent National Election Commission ("Commission nationale électorale indépendante", CNEI), replacing the National Commission for the Organisation of Elections ("Commission nationale d’organisation des élections", CONEL). The law was the result of dialogue between government and opposition parties. The CNEI is composed of members of both government and opposition parties, as well as civil society, and unlike the CONEL it is set up to be independent and financially autonomous. Ballot papers have also changed in line with demands by the opposition, moving to a single ballot paper. While parties were already entitled to have representatives at all polling stations, their agreement in certifying the vote count is now mandatory. These changes have been noted by the opposition, which has welcomed progress made. All adults over the age of 18 can vote and the CNEI's mission also includes voter registration. A campaign was launched to encourage more citizens to register to vote, beginning in January 2016 and ending on 15 February. A decree issued by the Minister of the Interior on 1 February 2016 scheduled the official campaign period to run from 4 March to midnight on 18 March 2016. The period for the submission of applications to stand as presidential candidates was set to run from 5 February to 20 February. Among the information and documentation required for the applications was a medical certificate, and prospective candidates were required to pay a deposit of 25,000,000 CFA francs, which could not be refunded. A new constitution passed by referendum in 2015 enabled term-limited President Denis Sassou Nguesso to run for re-election. As expected, the ruling Congolese Labour Party (PCT) announced on 25 January 2016 that Sassou Nguesso would be the party's presidential candidate. Aside from the PCT, various other parties pledged to support Sassou Nguesso, including the Congolese Movement for Democracy and Integral Development (MCDDI), the Action and Renewal Movement (MAR), Citizen Rally (RC), the Union of Democratic Forces (UDF), the Rally for Democracy and Social Progress (RDPS), the Republican Dynamic for Development (DRD), and the Club 2002–Party for the Unity of the Republic.