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Protesters Demand Reinstatement of Opposition Leader Tidjane Thiam Ahead of Ivory Coast Election

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Protesters Demand Reinstatement of Opposition Leader Tidjane Thiam Ahead of Ivory Coast Election

(3 Minutes Read)

 Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s economic capital, on Saturday to call for the reinstatement of leading opposition figure Tidjane Thiam on the electoral list. Thiam, a former CEO of Credit Suisse and head of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), was barred from contesting the October presidential election.

Despite torrential rain, protesters assembled peacefully near the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) headquarters, voicing outrage over Thiam’s exclusion, along with three other key opposition leaders, from the final list released on June 4.

Thiam, who was born in Ivory Coast but later acquired French nationality in 1987, renounced his French citizenship in March. However, an Ivorian court had earlier ruled him ineligible due to his dual nationality, a decision he has vowed to challenge.

Demonstrators, many dressed in green and white—the PDCI’s colours—held placards supporting Thiam and chanted slogans like “Corrupt justice” and “Thithi president.” Thiam addressed supporters via a Facebook video, saying: “This movement is about more than me—it’s about safeguarding democracy in our country. I’ll soon be in Abidjan to continue this fight with you.”

Senior PDCI officials delivered a formal letter to the electoral commission demanding the reinstatement of all disqualified candidates. “We strongly condemn the arbitrary and unjust exclusion of President Thiam and other opposition leaders from the electoral list,” said PDCI Executive Secretary Sylvestre Emmou.

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The protest reflects rising political tensions ahead of the October 25 vote. Concerns are mounting as President Alassane Ouattara, in power since 2011, is expected to run for another term, despite a constitutional two-term limit. He claims a 2016 constitutional reform resets the count. The 2020 election, which he won amid an opposition boycott, remains a point of contention, and fears persist of a return to post-election violence similar to the 2010 crisis that left over 3,000 people dead.