Cote d'Ivoire: Côte d'Ivoire Opposition Figure Reclaims Party Leadership Ahead of Court Ruling

Tidjane Thiam was re-elected as head of Côte d'Ivoire's main opposition party on Wednesday. This came just days after he resigned from the role. He is barred from running in the upcoming presidential election.

Thiam had quit as leader of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI) on Sunday. However, he was the only candidate at an extraordinary congress on Wednesday. After resigning, he stated, "I've decided to place my mandate in your hands." He received 99.77 percent of the vote.

Political tensions are high in Côte d'Ivoire. Several opposition figures have been ruled ineligible for the presidential election on October 25. Thiam was removed from the electoral list in April. A court ruled that he lost his Ivorian nationality when he became a French citizen in 1987.

In Côte d'Ivoire, candidates cannot hold dual citizenship. Thiam renounced his French citizenship in March to run for president. He faces a legal challenge regarding his first election as party leader in December 2023. The case argues that he was still a French citizen then and thus ineligible to lead PDCI.

The court will examine this case on Thursday. Meanwhile, Côte d'Ivoire's voter roll has reached 8.7 million amid calls for revision by the opposition.

Thiam has not returned to Côte d'Ivoire for over a month. Political analyst Geoffroy Julien Kouao said, "Thiam has left to come back stronger." He added that it would be difficult for Thiam to be eligible for the presidential election since he is no longer on the electoral roll.

Three other opposition figures have also been excluded due to past convictions, including former president Laurent Gbagbo. Former mayor Vincent Toh Bi Irié announced his candidacy on Wednesday.

President Alassane Ouattara has not confirmed if he will run again. The 83-year-old expressed a desire to "continue serving my country." Ivorian authorities claim decisions are made by an independent judiciary and deny political interference in elections.