2 million Congolese are registered to vote, although analysts and civil society groups expect the turnout to fall below the nearly 68 percent recorded in 2021, when Sassou won with 88. The Republic of Congo, the third-largest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa and a producer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is one of the most politically repressive countries in the world, with Freedom House giving it a 17 out of 100 rating for freedom. Sassou, 82, seized power in 1979 and has ‌governed almost continuously since, except for a five-year hiatus in the 1990s. He is running against six little-known candidates, with analysts saying none of them can mount a significant challenge against the incumbent, who has been in power for nearly 42 years. Gilbert, a 44-year-old civil servant from Brazzaville, told Al Jazeera he does “odd jobs” as his salary is not enough to cover all his household expenses. The economy, heavily dependent on oil, has stabilised in recent years after a long downturn, but 52 percent of Congo’s 6.