Opposition leader Tidjane Thiam has renounced his French nationality to meet Ivory Coast’s presidential election requirements.
Thiam, head of the Democratic Party (PDCI), called it “an important step” ensuring he is “exclusively Ivorian” before the October vote.
The Ivorian Constitution mandates that presidential candidates hold only Ivorian nationality and be born to at least one Ivorian parent.
A former minister and banking executive, Thiam lived abroad for 20 years before returning in 2022 and becoming PDCI president in 2023.
Other candidates include ex-first lady Simone Gbagbo and former Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan, while ex-president Laurent Gbagbo remains barred from running.
President Alassane Ouattara has not yet confirmed if he will seek a fourth term.
