The advent of a multiparty system imposed on African presidents at the 16th France-Africa summit in La Baule from 19 to 21 June 1990 could not really bring about a positive change in the political system established in the Central African Republic from 1960 to 1990, which was based on a single party system with its corollaries, such as dictatorship, clanism, mismanagement, nepotism, business dealings and clientelism. President Ange Félix Patassé and the MLPC, after three years in power, showed their limitations by perpetuating the old system, which led to crises in the country and allowed General François Bozézé to succeed in his coup d'état on 15 March 2003.