Ivory Coast’s Former Trade Minister Jean-Louis Billon has announced his intention to represent the country’s main opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) in the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for October. His statement comes after former Credit Suisse chairman Tidjane Thiam was disqualified from the final list of candidates.
In an interview, the 60-year-old politician criticized the PDCI’s handling of Thiam’s candidacy, attributing the exclusion to inadequate preparation by party officials. Billon did not rule out the possibility of running under a different banner, but stressed that it was “too early” to make that decision.
“I want the support of the PDCI,” Billon said. “It is sad that President Thiam was eliminated, but it was due to a lack of preparation. In politics, you always have alternatives.”
Thiam was removed from the electoral list after a court ruled that he was still a French citizen when he registered his candidacy. Although Thiam renounced his French citizenship in February to comply with Ivory Coast’s constitutional requirement that he be the only Ivorian citizen, the court argued that his initial registration made him ineligible. Thiam has since vowed to continue his political campaign despite the ruling.
The issue of citizenship remains a politically sensitive one in Ivory Coast, where previous presidential elections have been marred by disagreements over the candidates’ origins, particularly during the 2010 crisis that sparked civil war and left an estimated 3,000 dead.
Incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, now 83, has not yet announced whether he will seek re-election. He himself faced similar eligibility challenges earlier in his political career due to questions about his citizenship.
Billon said that if elected, he would push to change the law to allow dual citizenship, citing the realities of the large Ivorian diaspora.
“There are thousands of Ivorian citizens living abroad who have acquired another nationality. This should not be an obstacle,” he said.
The former minister also outlined his broader agenda, including plans to reduce the size of the civil service, fight corruption, attract private investment and move more government functions to the administrative capital, Yamoussoukro.
Calling for a generational shift in Ivorian politics, Billon said: “Ivory Coast will change. I believe our elders are taking their turn. It’s time for new leadership.”