The Abidjan Court of First Instance has ruled that Tidjane Thiam, president of Côte d’Ivoire’s main opposition party, the PDCI, should be removed from the electoral roll on the basis that he lost his Ivorian nationality.
This decision, delivered on April 22, 2025, comes just six months ahead of the country’s presidential elections.
Thiam, former CEO of Crédit Suisse, had filed for a nationality certificate earlier this month, but the court halted its issuance, citing an ongoing legal challenge contesting his Ivorian citizenship. One of the plaintiffs is Bernard N’Zi Kokora, a senior official in the ruling RHDP party.
Thiam, who acquired French nationality in 1987 and officially renounced it on March 19, 2025, now faces legal hurdles in proving his Ivorian citizenship—an eligibility requirement under Article 55 of the Ivorian Constitution. Critics point to Article 48 of the Ivorian Nationality Code, which states that Ivorian citizens who voluntarily acquire foreign nationality automatically lose their Ivorian status unless specific government authorization is granted. Thiam, recently chosen as the PDCI’s candidate for the October 25 election, must now navigate the legal process to reclaim his nationality in time to remain in the race.
