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Five approved candidates, including incumbent Alassane Ouattara, are now vying for votes. However, controversial exclusions will threaten to overshadow the process, as the Constitutional Council has cleared five contenders for the October 25 ballot.
The official campaign for Ivory Coast’s presidential election commenced on Friday, setting the stage for a tense two-week race. The election will determine the future leadership of a nation still grappling with the legacy of past electoral violence.
Five approved candidates, including incumbent Alassane Ouattara, are now vying for votes. However, controversial exclusions will threaten to overshadow the process, as the Constitutional Council has cleared five contenders for the October 25 ballot.
The race features President Alassane Ouattara of the ruling RHDP party, who launched his campaign in the economic capital, Abidjan. He is joined by prominent opposition figures like Jean-Louis Billon of the Democratic Congress (CODE), former First Lady Simone Gbagbo, Henriette Lagou, and independent candidate Ahoua Don Mello. The outcome will decide the future of 33 million people in the country beset with multiple challenges, most notable among them is economic.
Ivory Coast is the world’s largest cocoa producer and a growing gold exporter, making political continuity essential for economic health. However, the country has a painful history of post-election violence, most notably the 2010-2011 crisis that killed thousands, casting a long shadow over the current campaign and raising the stakes for a peaceful transfer of power.