Opposition Figures Excluded from Côte d’Ivoire Electoral List

Four key opposition leaders in Côte d’Ivoire have been disqualified from the final electoral list, making them ineligible to run in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 25. Among them is Tidjane Thiam, head of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), who has also been stripped of his voting rights. His exclusion followed a court ruling that questioned his nationality at the time of registration.

Former President Laurent Gbagbo, Charles Blé Goudé, and exiled former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro remain barred due to previous criminal convictions. Thiam, currently outside the country, condemned his disqualification as a sign of democratic backsliding and has appealed to the UN Human Rights Committee. His legal team described the move as a serious violation of international law.

Gbagbo’s party criticized the government’s refusal to engage in political dialogue, while other opposition voices, including Simone Ehivet Gbagbo, warned that current conditions could jeopardize a peaceful election. Despite these concerns, electoral commission chief Ibrahime Kuibiert Coulibaly stated that the voter list—now totaling 8.7 million people—would not be revised.

President Alassane Ouattara, in power since 2011, remains an eligible candidate, though he has yet to announce whether he will run for a fourth term. Authorities insist there has been no political interference, asserting that all decisions were made by an independent judiciary.