Ouattara Wins Fourth Term in Ivory Coast Amid Rival Exclusions

Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara has won a fourth term with 89.7% of the vote, extending his rule to nearly 20 years. His main rivals, Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam, were barred from running, sparking protests that left six people dead. Entrepreneur Jean-Louis Billon finished second with about 3%, while voter turnout was around 50%. The Constitutional Council has five days to confirm the final results.

Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara has secured a fourth term in office, according to provisional results announced by the country’s electoral commission on Monday. The 83-year-old leader won with an overwhelming 89.7% of the vote, extending his rule to nearly two decades.

Entrepreneur Jean-Louis Billon came in second with about 3% of the vote, while Simone Gbagbo, the former first lady, finished third with 2.4%, according to electoral commission president Ibrahime Kuibiert Coulibaly. Billon had already congratulated Ouattara on his victory before the official announcement.

The election took place amid controversy, as two major rivals — Tidjane Thiam, a former Credit Suisse executive, and former President Laurent Gbagbo — were barred from running. Thiam was removed from the electoral list for holding French nationality, while Gbagbo was excluded because of a past criminal conviction.

The exclusion of the two leading opposition figures sparked protests in early October, leading to the arrest of hundreds of activists and reports of several unexplained kidnappings. The Ivorian Human Rights Commission confirmed at least six deaths linked to election-related unrest.

Voter turnout was about 50% among the 8.5 million registered voters, similar to the 2020 election, when Ouattara won 94% of the vote in a poll largely boycotted by the opposition.

The provisional results will now be sent to the Constitutional Council, which has five days to review them and announce the final outcome. Despite criticism over the fairness of the election, Ouattara’s win cements his position as one of West Africa’s longest-serving leaders.