A large rally was held over the weekend in Côte d’Ivoire, as thousands of opposition supporters protested the exclusion of candidate Tidjane Thiam from the upcoming presidential election.
Top figures in the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI) gathered in Abidjan on Saturday, calling for nationwide demonstrations following an April 22 court ruling that removed Thiam from the electoral list.
The protest marked the most significant show of support for the Ivorian opposition leader to date, surpassing a previous April demonstration outside court buildings that attracted only a few hundred participants.
According to the court, the 62-year-old former minister was disqualified because he lost his Ivorian nationality upon acquiring French citizenship in 1987.
Several other opposition leaders, including former president Laurent Gbagbo, have also been barred from contesting the presidency due to prior legal convictions.
Meanwhile, the ruling party led by President Alassane Ouattara has yet to announce its candidate. Ouattara, who has held office since 2011, has expressed his desire to remain in power.
