DRC: Is Tshisekedi an Extremist? · Global Voices
Alice Backer

Over at Le Blog du Congolais, Ben-Clet analyzes  (FR) the “180 degree turn”  in  the international image of UDPS leader Etienne Tshisekedi from sympathetic  Mobutu opponent in the 90s to modern-day extremist. Among factors, Ben-Clet cites the fall of the Berlin wall, the fact that Congolese national interests often clash with international business interests and yes, Tshisekedi's tendency not to engage in compromise. He concludes that  Tshisekedi is an experienced politician who understands the complexities of a unipolar world rather than an Al Qaeda type.