Ivory Coast Opposition Leader Thiam Barred from Presidency Race
TLDR
- Ivory Coast’s electoral commission has excluded Tidjane Thiam from the final list of candidates for the upcoming October 2025 presidential election
- The decision follows a court ruling earlier this year declaring Thiam ineligible due to his former dual nationality, which he renounced in March
- Other barred candidates include former president Laurent Gbagbo, ex-minister and ICC indictee Charles Blé Goudé, and former prime minister and rebel leader Guillaume Soro
Ivory Coast’s electoral commission has excluded Tidjane Thiam, leader of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) and former CEO of Credit Suisse, from the final list of candidates for the upcoming October 2025 presidential election. The decision follows a court ruling earlier this year declaring Thiam ineligible due to his former dual nationality, which he renounced in March.
Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert, president of the electoral commission, stated: “If the courts have ordered removal, we will comply.” Thiam had run unopposed in the PDCI’s internal primary and was widely regarded as the leading opposition figure challenging incumbent President Alassane Ouattara.
Thiam is not alone in exclusion. Other barred candidates include former president Laurent Gbagbo, ex-minister and ICC indictee Charles Blé Goudé, and former prime minister and rebel leader Guillaume Soro, who was convicted in absentia.
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Key Takeaways
The exclusion of multiple top opposition figures has deepened concerns about democratic backsliding in Ivory Coast. The Democratic Party labeled the move “unfair” and has called for national protests. The upcoming October vote is shaping up to be highly contentious, with memories of the 2020 post-election violence, which left dozens dead, still fresh. Thiam’s disqualification over citizenship issues has raised questions about political interference in legal processes. His attempt to renounce French nationality earlier this year underscores the strategic and legal complexity of his candidacy. Meanwhile, the barring of opposition leaders with criminal charges, some dating back to the country’s civil conflict, adds further strain to the electoral environment. The developments cast uncertainty over the credibility and inclusiveness of the 2025 elections, with domestic and international observers likely to closely monitor the unfolding political crisis.
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