President Alassane Ouattara of Ivory Coast has declared his intention to seek a fourth consecutive term in the presidential election set for October 25, 2025. This announcement occurs in a tense political climate marked by the controversial exclusion of major opposition figures from the electoral process.
Key opposition leaders including Tidjane Thiam, former President Laurent Gbagbo, his ally Charles Blé Goudé, and former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro have been barred from contesting by the electoral commission and courts. Thiam was excluded due to issues over dual citizenship at the time of registration, despite renouncing French citizenship shortly before his disqualification.
Gbagbo and Blé Goudé were excluded based on prior convictions related to the 2010–2011 post-election crisis, though their convictions were highly contested and they were pardoned or acquitted in various cases. Soro was sentenced in absentia for a coup attempt. These exclusions have significantly narrowed the field and sparked accusations of political repression.
The opposition has formed alliances demanding these candidates be allowed to participate, condemning the decisions as undemocratic and fueling fears of an election lacking genuine competition. Critics argue that the disqualifications help entrench President Ouattara's power, who has already won his previous elections with over 80% of the vote amid claims of irregularities and voter suppression.
President Ouattara, who has governed since 2011, faces growing domestic and international scrutiny over his third term and now the fourth term bid, as the country grapples with maintaining stability after years of civil unrest. The ruling party insists the exclusions are legally justified, not politically motivated.
This political standoff has raised concerns about Ivory Coast's democratic future and the potential for heightened instability ahead of the October elections.
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