Ivorian opposition leader, Tidjane Thiam, has been barred from contesting the country’s upcoming presidential election, a party official confirmed on Wednesday.
Thiam’s exclusion from the final list of presidential candidates follows a court ruling that disqualified him on the grounds of holding French nationality at the time of his registration. The 62-year-old, who was elected leader of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI) in December 2023, had previously vowed not to withdraw from the race despite the legal setback.
In a statement to an international media, Thiam said his removal from the electoral roll by the Independent Electoral Commission was “a sad but telling example of Ivory Coast’s abandonment of democracy.”
The commission’s decision is likely to inflame political tensions in a country still healing from years of conflict. Ivory Coast experienced two civil wars in the early 2000s, both partly driven by disputes over nationality and electoral eligibility.
Thiam is not the only high-profile figure ruled ineligible. Former president Laurent Gbagbo, his ally Charles Blé Goudé—both acquitted of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court – and ex-prime minister Guillaume Soro, who was sentenced in absentia to life in prison in 2021 for plotting a coup, have also been barred from the October vote.
President Alassane Ouattara, who has already served three terms, has yet to announce whether he will seek re-election. His ruling RHDP party is set to choose its candidate at a congress scheduled for 21–22 June.
Meanwhile, Thiam’s legal team has taken the matter to the international stage. His lawyer, Mathias Chichportich, confirmed that a complaint was filed on Tuesday with the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
