# Democratic Congress
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Democratic_Congress
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Democratic_Congress.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Congress
> Source revision: 1316797625
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{short description|Political party in Lesotho}}
{{Distinguish|Lesotho Congress for Democracy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox political party
| name = Democratic Congress
| logo = Logo of the Democratic Congress.png
| logo_size =
| colorcode = {{party color|Democratic Congress}}
| leader = [Mathibeli Mokhothu](/source/Mathibeli_Mokhothu)
| chairperson =
| president =
| spokesperson =
| founder = [Pakalitha Mosisili](/source/Pakalitha_Mosisili)
| slogan = ''Nete Ke Thebe, Sechaba ke Poho!''
| foundation = {{Start date|df=y|2012}}
| split = [Lesotho Congress for Democracy](/source/Lesotho_Congress_for_Democracy)
| seats1_title = [National Assembly](/source/National_Assembly_(Lesotho))
| seats1 = {{Composition bar|29|120|{{party color|Democratic Congress}}}}
| ideology = [Pan-Africanism](/source/Pan-Africanism)
[Social democracy](/source/Social_democracy)
| position = [Centre-left](/source/Centre-left)
| headquarters =
| international =
| colors = [Red](/source/Red), [Green](/source/Green), [Black](/source/Black)
| website = {{URL|https://www.dc.org.ls}}
| country = Lesotho
}}
The '''Democratic Congress''' is a [political party](/source/political_party) in [Lesotho](/source/Lesotho) that split from the [Lesotho Congress for Democracy](/source/Lesotho_Congress_for_Democracy). It is led by Mathibeli Mokhothu.
== History ==
Before the [2012 election](/source/Lesotho_general_election%2C_2012), the ruling [Lesotho Congress for Democracy](/source/Lesotho_Congress_for_Democracy) (LCD) split, with Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili leaving the party.[{{cite web |url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C05%5C27%5Cstory_27-5-2012_pg4_2 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416074733/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012%5C05%5C27%5Cstory_27-5-2012_pg4_2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 April 2013 |title=Leading News Resource of Pakistan |publisher=Daily Times |date= |accessdate=29 May 2012 }}] He then founded the Democratic Congress, initially incorporating the name of LCD founder [Ntsu Mokhehle](/source/Ntsu_Mokhehle) into the name of the new party. LCD Secretary-General [Mothetjoa Metsing](/source/Mothetjoa_Metsing) subsequently moved to lead the LCD.[{{cite web|author= |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201202101099.html |title=Lesotho: Jumping Before He's Pushed |publisher=allAfrica.com |date=21 February 2012 |accessdate=29 May 2012}}]
== Electoral performance ==
In its first election, the party won a plurality of seats,[{{cite web |url=http://www.iec.org.ls/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=298&Itemid=56 |title=IEC Live Results 2012 |publisher=Iec.org.ls |accessdate=29 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601221013/http://www.iec.org.ls/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=298&Itemid=56 |archivedate=1 June 2012 }}] but failed to secure a majority after the allotment of proportional seats. It attempted to form a coalition government but was unsuccessful.
== Election results ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Election
! Votes
! Share
! Seats
! +/-
! Government
|-
! [2012](/source/2012_Lesotho_general_election)
| 218,366
| 39.58
| {{Composition bar|48|120|hex={{party color|Democratic Congress}}}}
| New
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [2015](/source/2015_Lesotho_general_election)
| 218,573
| 38.37
| {{Composition bar|47|120|hex={{party color|Democratic Congress}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{yes2|Government}}
|-
! [2017](/source/2017_Lesotho_general_election)
| 150,172
| 25.82
| {{Composition bar|30|120|hex={{party color|Democratic Congress}}}}
| {{decrease}} 17
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
! [2022](/source/2022_Lesotho_general_election)
| 128,105
| 24.87
| {{Composition bar|29|120|hex={{party color|Democratic Congress}}}}
| {{decrease}} 1
| {{no2|Opposition}}
|-
|}
== Splits ==
In December 2016, [Monyane Moleleki](/source/Monyane_Moleleki), then deputy leader of the Democratic Congress, unveiled a new political party he had formed following his and some members of DC's national executive committee's attempts at ousting Mosisili from the DC.[{{Cite web|url=https://www.thepost.co.ls/local-news/moleleki-unveils-new-party/|title = Moleleki unveils new party|date = 16 December 2016}}]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*{{Official website|https://www.dc.org.ls/}}
*{{Facebook|Democratic-Congress}}
{{Lesotho political parties}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Democratic Congress}}
Category:2011 establishments in Lesotho
Category:Pan-Africanism in Lesotho
Category:Pan-Africanist political parties in Africa
Category:Political parties established in 2011
Category:Political parties in Lesotho
Category:Social democratic parties in Africa
Category:Socialism in Lesotho
{{Lesotho-party-stub}}
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Democratic Congress](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Congress) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Congress?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.