Ivory Coast Votes as Ouattara Seeks to Extend 15-Year Rule

Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara, 83, seeks to extend his 15-year rule in an election contested by four weak rivals after key opponents were barred. The vote follows protests and tight security, with poverty, youth unemployment, and regional insecurity remaining major challenges.

Ivory Coast went to the polls on Saturday for a presidential election, with 83-year-old President Alassane Ouattara, the favorite, seeking to extend his rule to nearly two decades.

A total of five candidates are contesting in the election, where more than 8 million citizens are eligible to vote from a population of about 32 million. Polling stations are scheduled to close at 6 p.m. local time (1800 GMT), and provisional results are expected within five days. If no candidate secures more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election will be held.

Ouattara, representing the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) party, credits himself for nearly 15 years of economic growth and relative stability. However, he has indicated that this campaign will likely be his last. Before entering politics, Ouattara was an international banker and served as deputy managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The election period has been marred by controversy and protests, especially after two of Ouattara’s major rivals were disqualified from the final list of candidates, along with several other hopefuls. Tidjane Thiam, a former Credit Suisse executive, and Ouattara’s predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, were both barred from running.

Thiam was disqualified due to his former dual nationality; although he renounced his French citizenship in March, the Ivorian court ruled that the move came too late. Gbagbo, meanwhile, was prevented from contesting because of a criminal conviction related to the 2011 election crisis, which erupted after he refused to concede defeat to Ouattara. He also faced trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on war crimes charges connected to the same conflict but was ultimately acquitted.

The disqualifications sparked widespread protests, during which several hundred people were arrested. These tensions have revived fears of a return to the violent unrest seen during the 2010–2011 elections that claimed 3,000 lives. In the 2020 election cycle, 100 people were killed during demonstrations.

To maintain order during this year’s vote, the government imposed restrictions on public gatherings, allowing only those organized by the five contesting parties. Additionally, more than 40,000 security personnel have been deployed across the country.

Among the four candidates challenging Ouattara is Simone Gbagbo, 76, the wife of Laurent Gbagbo and former first lady. Another contender is Jean-Louis Billon, 60, a former commerce minister under Ouattara’s administration. The remaining two candidates are Ahoua Don Mello, once an ally of Laurent Gbagbo, and Henriette Lagou Adjoua, who briefly served as minister of social affairs under Gbagbo.

All four opposition candidates have pledged to tackle unemployment by creating new jobs and improving agricultural policies. However, none of them have the backing of a major political party, and analysts suggest they face slim chances of victory.

Ivory Coast remains the world’s leading cocoa producer and West Africa’s second-largest economy, yet poverty remains widespread, with 37.5% of the population living below the poverty line. Youth unemployment is also a pressing concern.

Additionally, the nation continues to grapple with spillover violence from neighboring Mali and Burkina Faso. In response to regional insecurity, Ouattara’s government has increased defense spending since 2022, reinforced military presence in the northern regions, and acquired armored vehicles from China and other countries to strengthen national security.