Election Tensions Rise as Ivory Coast Prepares for Contentious Vote

In Ivory Coast's upcoming presidential election, former Credit Suisse chief Tidjane Thiam and ex-President Laurent Gbagbo have been barred, while Simone Gbagbo is allowed to run. President Alassane Ouattara is seeking a controversial fourth term despite tensions over candidates' eligibility and the country's history of electoral violence.

Devdiscourse News Desk | Abidjan | Updated: 08-09-2025 22:24 IST | Created: 08-09-2025 22:24 IST

Election Tensions Rise as Ivory Coast Prepares for Contentious Vote — This image is AI-generated and does not depict any real-life event or location. It is a fictional representation created for illustrative purposes only.

Country:
Cote d'Ivoire

In Ivory Coast, political tension intensifies as former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam and ex-President Laurent Gbagbo are excluded from the presidential race. This announcement, confirmed on Monday, allows Simone Gbagbo, ex-wife of Laurent Gbagbo, to contest in next month's election.

President Alassane Ouattara, 83, is vying for a fourth term amid analysts' predictions of his victory in the world's top cocoa-producing nation. However, controversies regarding candidate eligibility threaten to stir unrest in Ivory Coast, a country with a tumultuous election history.

Despite the 2016 constitutional changes allegedly resetting Ouattara's term limits, opposition voices, including Thiam, label his candidacy unconstitutional. The government has assured a peaceful election with five candidacies validated out of 60, including Ouattara's.