Dictator
Denis Sassou Nguesso
Ruled the Republic of the Congo for a combined total of roughly four decades across two non-consecutive stints.
Denis Sassou Nguesso first became president of the Republic of the Congo in 1979 following an internal party takeover, ruling until a 1992 multi-party election he lost. He returned to power in 1997 after a civil war in which his forces, backed by Angolan troops, ousted the elected government, and has ruled continuously since — a combined tenure of roughly four decades. A 2015 referendum removed both term and age limits, clearing his path to a fourth consecutive term in 2021.
His government has faced long-running corruption allegations, including a French judicial investigation into "ill-gotten gains" examining luxury properties and assets held by the Sassou Nguesso family, reported extensively by Transparency International, even as much of the country's oil-derived wealth has failed to translate into broad development.