Overview

• President Alassane Ouattara, 83, formally announced his candidacy for the October 25 presidential election, seeking a fourth consecutive term under a 2016 constitutional reset.
• Ivorian courts have excluded four principal opposition leaders, including Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam, from the ballot by ruling on nationality and criminal convictions.
• Ouattara asserts that the amended constitution and his health status fully permit another term and vows to oversee a generation handover with his party team.
• Opposition parties have challenged the exclusions, accusing the government of manipulating the process, while authorities deny any political interference in judicial decisions.
• The contest highlights concerns over democratic fairness in a country striving to maintain its regional stability after a deadly post-2010 election crisis.