Overview
- President Alassane Ouattara, 83, is running for a fourth term on Oct. 25, with about 8.7 million Ivorians registered to vote and analysts cautioning he remains favored.
- Key challengers were sidelined: Laurent Gbagbo was barred over a past conviction and Tidjane Thiam was disqualified on nationality grounds, leaving figures such as Simone Gbagbo and Jean‑Louis Billon to compete.
- Authorities have banned protests and deployed more than 40,000 security personnel nationwide, with hundreds arrested in recent weeks and at least three people reported killed.
- Ouattara’s campaign spotlights rapid growth and major Abidjan projects, with officials citing a drop in poverty to 37% and the World Bank estimating it closer to 46%.
- Observers warn of pro‑Russia, anti‑France disinformation traced in part to Burkina Faso, while rising costs, youth frustration, and mass evictions tied to urban “clearing” policies heighten tensions.