Six months before Ivory Coast’s presidential election, the political landscape is tense, with leading opposition figures excluded from the race. This situation raises concerns about the election’s legitimacy and the potential for renewed instability in a nation still recovering from the 2010-2011 post-election violence that resulted in approximately 3,000 deaths.
Tidjane Thiam, head of the main opposition party, the PDCI, has been disqualified due to a court ruling that he lost his Ivorian citizenship when he acquired French nationality in 1987. Although he renounced his French citizenship to run, the ruling stands, and appeals are not possible. Thiam insists he will not be replaced as the PDCI candidate, and the party has called for demonstrations.
Other prominent opposition figures, including former President Laurent Gbagbo, his former ally Charles Ble Goude, and exiled former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, have also been barred from participating, based on judicial rulings. This widespread exclusion of key opposition leaders has led to questions about the election’s credibility.
Political analysts suggest that while a united opposition front is possible, it would be difficult to achieve. The exclusion of Thiam, in particular, has been seen as a significant blow to the election’s legitimacy. The ruling party, RHDP, however, defends the judicial decisions as reinforcing the rule of law. With only six months remaining, the political situation remains fluid, and the impact of these exclusions on the election’s outcome is uncertain.
