Côte d'Ivoire is preparing for a contentious presidential election in October as President Alassane Ouattara’s supporters rally for his likely re-election bid. Meanwhile, opposition groups are demanding a fairer contest and the reinstatement of barred candidates.
The political temperature is rising in Côte d'Ivoire as President Ouattara’s ruling party prepares to confirm his likely bid for a fourth term.
For their part, opposition groups continue to protest the exclusion of their key candidates from the upcoming presidential election.
On Sunday, thousands of supporters of the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) gathered in Yopougon, a densely populated neighbourhood of Abidjan, to show support for Ouattara – widely known by his initials, ADO.
The weekend rally followed weeks of local meetings and set the stage for the party’s official congress next weekend, where his candidacy is expected to be endorsed.
Posting on social media platform X, the ruling party called on supporters to join in a rally on 21 and 22 June with the message "Together, let's build a peaceful Côte d'Ivoire."
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Ruling party congress
A large banner behind the stage declared "In Yopougon our champion is ADO" as senior party figures called on supporters to back the long-serving leader once more. "There is only one road – the road of President Alassane Ouattara," former prime minister Patrick Achi told the crowd.
He added that under Ouattara, Côte d'Ivoire would continue to develop and provide more opportunities for young people.
Ouattara, now 83, has not yet publicly confirmed whether he will stand for re-election, although in January he said he was "eager to continue serving his country".
His supporters expect a formal announcement at the RHDP congress on 21 – 22 June, which will end with a rally at Ebimpe Stadium, where the national football team recently celebrated its Africa Cup of Nations victory.
Opposition protest candidates' ban
Meanwhile, frustration is growing among opposition parties after four prominent figures were disqualified from the upcoming October poll.
Just a day before the pro-Ouattara rally, thousands of opposition supporters marched through Abidjan in the rain, demanding that the banned candidates be reinstated.
The main focus of the protests is Tidjane Thiam, leader of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) – the country’s largest opposition group.
Thiam, a well-known figure internationally, was removed from the voter register in April after a court raised questions about his nationality status at the time of registration.
PDCI activists marched to the gates of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), chanting "Titi for president" – using Thiam’s nickname – and accusing the electoral body and courts of political interference.
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Need for change
"Things need to change," 64-year-old protester Agnero Gnagne told the French news agency AFP, who claimed the country was being run in an increasingly authoritarian manner.
Thiam, who has spent recent months abroad, addressed supporters in a video message, urging them to stay mobilised. "This is not just about me – this is about democracy in our country," he said, promising to return to Abidjan soon.
Others barred from standing include former president Laurent Gbagbo, ex-youth leader Charles Blé Goudé and exiled former prime minister Guillaume Soro – all excluded on the basis of past convictions.
Opposition figures argue that these bans are politically motivated and undermine the credibility of the election.
Despite the high tensions, Saturday’s protest remained peaceful, with demonstrators blocked by police a short distance from the electoral commission's offices.
Party officials were allowed inside briefly to submit a formal complaint.
