A Congolese opposition coalition on Tuesday called for a "civil disobedience" protest to pressure the government to withdraw a planned constitutional amendment allowing President Denis Sassou Nguessou to extend his three-decade rule.

In a statement read to the media, the FROCAD coalition demanded "purely and simply the withdrawal" of the plan which the government earlier Tuesday claimed had been approved by a landslide at a controversial weekend referendum to amend the constitution.