Tidjane Thiam was officially re-elected on Wednesday as president of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), the country’s main opposition party, after running unopposed in a vote held across 45 polling stations nationwide. The election comes amid ongoing legal challenges questioning his eligibility for party leadership and casts a shadow over his presidential ambitions.
Thiam’s uncontested victory follows his recent resignation from the post, a calculated move to counter a legal challenge brought by Valérie Yapo, a party activist. Yapo has contested Thiam’s original December 2023 election, arguing that he held French nationality at the time, rendering him ineligible under Ivorian law. This case is currently being examined by the Abidjan Court of First Instance.
Voting took place throughout the day during a decentralized party congress. At the Abobo Baoulé polling station in Abidjan, party members voted for Thiam on a single-candidate ballot, a sign of apparent internal consolidation. Kemi Yao, a local branch secretary, described the uncontested race as “a demonstration of unity within the party.”
Results released later Wednesday showed Thiam won 99.77% of the vote, reaffirming his leadership of the PDCI. However, despite this clear mandate, his ability to stand in the upcoming October presidential election remains uncertain.
Recent rulings by Ivorian courts have removed Thiam from the electoral register, disqualifying him from contesting the presidency. Attempts by PDCI officials to initiate dialogue with the government to resolve this standoff have so far been unsuccessful.
Georges Ezaley, the party’s vice-president, reiterated calls for political talks to ensure peaceful and credible elections, stating, “We need an inclusive dialogue to safeguard the democratic process.” However, government spokespeople have rejected these appeals, citing the official conclusion of such dialogues in March 2022.
As Côte d’Ivoire prepares for the crucial presidential polls, the impasse surrounding Tidjane Thiam underscores the broader challenges facing opposition parties in the country’s complex political environment.