Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s commercial capital, on Saturday, demanding the reinstatement of opposition leader Tidjane Thiam on the electoral roll ahead of the upcoming presidential election on October 25. Despite heavy rain, demonstrators gathered peacefully outside the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), voicing their support for Thiam, a former CEO of Credit Suisse and leader of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI).
The protests were sparked by the CEI’s decision to exclude Thiam and three other opposition figures from the presidential candidate list, following a court ruling that deemed Thiam ineligible due to his dual Ivorian-French nationality. Thiam, who renounced his French citizenship earlier this year, expressed that the movement transcends his personal situation, emphasizing the importance of upholding democracy in Ivory Coast.
Protesters, dressed in the PDCI’s colors of green and white, carried signs denouncing perceived injustices and delivered a formal letter to the CEI demanding the reinstatement of excluded candidates. PDCI officials condemned the removal of Thiam and others as arbitrary and unjust.
The political climate is tense as President Alassane Ouattara, who has been in power since 2011, is expected to announce his candidacy for re-election at a ruling party congress later this month. Although the constitution limits presidents to two terms, Ouattara claims he is eligible due to changes made in 2016. His previous re-election in 2020 was contentious and led to unrest, raising fears of potential violence as the election approaches, reminiscent of the deadly crisis following the disputed vote in 2010-2011.
