President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire has announced he will run for a fourth term in the presidential election scheduled for October 25.
The 83-year-old leader, who has been in power since 2011, made his decision public after accepting the nomination from his ruling party, the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP).
His announcement comes at a time when the country faces a mix of economic and security challenges.
Ouattara cited both the constitution and his personal health as allowing him to continue in office.
Meanwhile, Côte d’Ivoire’s two major opposition parties have formed a united front to call for the return of their leaders, who have been banned from contesting the election.
The alliance includes the African People’s Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PPACI), led by former President Laurent Gbagbo, and the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), headed by Tidjane Thiam, a former banker.
Both Gbagbo and Thiam have been disqualified by the electoral commission—Gbagbo due to a past criminal conviction and Thiam over issues related to nationality.
Other opposition figures like Charles Blé Goudé and former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro have also been barred from running.
Ouattara’s political career began during the economic crisis of the 1980s when President Félix Houphouet-Boigny appointed him to lead recovery efforts.
After Houphouet-Boigny’s death in 1993, Ouattara joined the International Monetary Fund before returning to Ivorian politics.
He faced multiple legal and constitutional blocks in earlier elections, including the 1995 and 2000 polls.
His eventual victory came in 2010, though it sparked a post-election crisis that left over 3,000 dead after then-President Gbagbo refused to concede. Ouattara formally assumed office in 2011.
The opposition boycotted the 2020 election, and Ouattara won by a wide margin.