Overview

• Ouattara, 83, cited constitutional leeway and his health as grounds for running again and argued his experience is needed to address severe economic, security and monetary challenges.
• The judiciary has barred former president Laurent Gbagbo, ex-premier Guillaume Soro, Charles Blé Goudé and banker Tidjane Thiam from the electoral register.
• With key rivals sidelined, Ouattara’s nomination by the ruling RHDP party cements his status as the clear frontrunner for the October 25 vote.
• The PPACI and PDCI opposition alliance has launched a joint campaign to reverse court rulings that excluded their leaders.
• Critics warn that constitutional resets and legal exclusions erode democratic legitimacy and reflect a wider West African trend of power consolidation.