Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo has again expressed his displeasure over President Alassane Ouattara’s planned fourth-term instalment.
Gbagbo used the launch of a new human rights initiative over the weekend to outline his political stance as Côte d’Ivoire approaches another tense electoral period.
Speaking at the unveiling of the Initiative for the Liberation of Prisoners of Conscience (ILPO), Gbagbo addressed party officials from the PPA-CI, legal representatives, and invited guests.
He declared that the fight against President Alassane Ouattara’s fourth term must continue, referring to Ouattara’s planned inauguration for a fourth five-year mandate on 8 December, following the presidential election of 25 October 2025.
Gbagbo described his current political engagement as “another form of opposition”, adding that it was intended “to redirect your work”.
According to him, this shift in strategy informed the PPA-CI’s decision not to contest the legislative elections scheduled for 27 December, a move he said triggered widespread civil disobedience among supporters.
Reiterating his opposition to a fourth term, Gbagbo argued that the attempt is “unconstitutional”, insisting that many political crises on the continent arise because “the texts we write, we do not respect”.
He criticised leaders who endorse legal frameworks but fail to uphold them, and questioned the rationale behind the country’s current political trajectory.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Constitutional Council ruled in 2020 that the adoption of a new Constitution in 2016 effectively reset Ouattara’s term count, enabling him to seek additional mandates. Having been elected in 2010 and re-elected in 2015 and 2020, Ouattara secured another victory in October 2025.
