An Ivory Coast court ruled on Tuesday that opposition leader Tidjane Thiam, former Credit Suisse CEO, must be removed from the electoral roll due to his prior French nationality.
This decision, which is final, potentially eliminates Thiam’s aspirations to run in the nation’s upcoming presidential election in October.
Thiam’s lawyer explained that, according to Ivorian law, Thiam was not considered an Ivorian citizen at the time of his electoral registration due to his French nationality.
Ivory Coast law stipulates that presidential candidates must be exclusively Ivorian citizens.
Thiam, who became leader of the PDCI opposition party in 2023, had renounced his French citizenship in February to meet election eligibility requirements.
While France officially recognized his renunciation last month, the Ivorian court’s decision now casts doubt on his political future in the country.
