On 27 October, Côte d’Ivoire’s electoral commission declared President Alassane Ouattara the winner of the 25 October presidential election with 89.8 per cent of the vote. Major challengers Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam were barred from running, and with no major opposition contender on the ballot, voter turnout dropped slightly to 50.1 per cent from 53.9 per cent in 2020. Entrepreneur Jean-Louis Billon placed a distant second with 3.1 per cent, followed by former First Lady Simone Gbagbo at 2.4 per cent; she was one of two women candidates among the five on the ballot. Various observers, including the Economic Community of West African States-African Union (ECOWAS-AU) mission and national civil society groups, said the vote was largely peaceful, but noted the restrictive political environment and exclusion of key candidates. The opposition described the polls as a ‘civilian coup,’ citing the disqualification of Gbagbo and Thiam and broader concerns over electoral fairness and judicial independence.

Sources: Independent Electoral Commission of Cote d'Ivoire, International Crisis Group, Deutsche Welle, The Guardian, Jeune Afrique, Institute for Security Studies – Africa, International IDEA

On 11 August, Ivorian authorities charged 11 members of former President Laurent Gbagbo’s African People’s Party–Côte d’Ivoire (Parti des peuples africains–Côte d'Ivoire, PPA-CI) with ‘terrorist acts’ and ‘conspiracy against state authority’. The charges relate to a 1 August attack in Abidjan’s Yopougon suburb, where a bus was burned and a police vehicle vandalised. The accused include prominent figures such as former Defence Minister Lida Kouassi and a retired ambassador—both known critics of President Alassane Ouattara’s bid for a fourth term in the October 2025 presidential election. Prosecutors allege they orchestrated the unrest, but the PPA-CI condemned the violence and denied any involvement, calling the arrests politically motivated. PPA-CI officials have raised concern over arbitrary detentions and due process violations, noting the lack of publicly available evidence. The arrests come amid a broader crackdown on opposition, with leading figures like Tidjane Thiam still barred from contesting. Thousands later protested peacefully in Yopougon demanding their reinstatement on the electoral roll.

Sources: International Crisis Group, Jenue Afrique (1), Jeune Afrique (2), The Africa Report, Associated Press, Barron’s, International IDEA

On 22 April, the Abidjan Court of First Instance struck opposition leader Tidjane Thiam from the electoral roll, barring him from running in the October presidential election. The court cited Article 48 of the 1961 Nationality Code, which states that Ivorian citizens automatically lose their nationality if they acquire another without prior state approval. Thiam obtained French citizenship in 1987, a move the court deemed grounds for disqualification despite his recent renunciation of it. Thiam and his party, the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (Parti Démocratique de la Côte d'Ivoire, PDCI), denounced the ruling as politically motivated and, although it is not subject to appeal, filed a procedural challenge citing judicial irregularities. Several other prominent opposition figures have also been excluded from the race, including former president Laurent Gbagbo. 

Sources: International Crisis Group, British Broadcasting Corporation, Reuters, Abidjan.net, Barron’s, The Africa Report, Radio France Internationale

In October, LGBTQIA+ individuals in Côte d’Ivoire faced a surge in violence, including assaults, online harassment, and intimidation. Gromo, an Ivorian LGBTQIA+ advocacy group, recorded more than 45 assaults since early September. Previously seen as being home to one of West Africa’s more tolerant societies, the country has recently experienced a wave of homophobia fueled by social media influencers accusing the government of promoting LGBTQIA+ rights through a proposed law that would protect citizens' ‘sexual orientation’ from discrimination. On 15 September, Interior Minister Vagondo Diomandé’s stated that the government does not encourage homosexuality. Additionally, lawmaker Naya Jarvis Zamblé, aligned with President Alassane Ouattara’s party, pledged to introduce a bill in Parliament to ‘counter the expansion’ of homosexuality. Activists have urged authorities to strengthen protections and denounce anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric.

Sources: Abidjan, The New York Times, X