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Ouattara Launches Fourth Presidential Bid as Key Opponents Disqualified

His announcement consolidates power after courts barred four leading adversaries from the October vote.

Overview

  • President Ouattara has officially launched his fourth-term campaign for the October 25 vote after being designated by his RHDP party.
  • At 83, he insists the 2016 constitutional revision resets his term count and his health allows him to serve again.
  • Judicial decisions have barred four major challengers including ex-president Laurent Gbagbo and former premier Tidjane Thiam.
  • Opposition groups accuse the government of politicizing the courts to eliminate competitors, a claim denied by authorities.
  • He remains the clear favorite in a nation praised for post-crisis economic gains but still marked by inequality and past electoral violence.