Ivory Coast’s main opposition leader, Tidjane Thiam, has been officially ruled out of the country’s upcoming presidential election, following his exclusion from the final list of approved candidates. The announcement was made on Wednesday by a senior official from the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), the party Thiam currently heads.
Thiam, a former chief executive at Credit Suisse and one of the most prominent figures in Ivorian politics, had declared his intention to run for the presidency despite a legal challenge to his eligibility. In April, a court ordered that his name be removed from the electoral roll, citing that he held French nationality at the time of his registration—a violation of the country’s electoral laws. Nevertheless, Thiam insisted at the time that he would not withdraw his candidacy.
The decision by the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) now formalizes his disqualification, dealing a major blow to the PDCI’s hopes of challenging the ruling party in the October vote. Thiam had been seen as a strong contender capable of rallying opposition forces and appealing to both the political elite and younger voters.
The electoral commission’s move could heighten political tensions in the West African nation, which continues to grapple with the legacy of its past conflicts. Ivory Coast endured two civil wars in the early 2000s, with disputes over national identity and electoral participation playing a central role. The exclusion of a high-profile candidate like Thiam risks inflaming old divisions and raising questions about the transparency and inclusiveness of the electoral process.
Thiam, 62, was elected leader of the PDCI in December 2023, marking a significant return to Ivorian politics after years spent in international finance. In a statement released following the commission’s announcement, he condemned the ruling as undemocratic.
“My removal from the electoral roll by the Independent Electoral Commission is a sad but telling example of Ivory Coast’s abandonment of democracy,” Thiam said. “This decision does not only affect me personally—it sends a troubling message about the state of political openness in our country.”
With the election approaching, the absence of Thiam from the race is likely to reshape the political landscape, leaving the opposition without one of its most recognized and experienced figures.