Côte d’Ivoire’s Constitutional Council has officially confirmed the list of contenders for the October 25 presidential election, with former First Lady Simone Gbagbo unexpectedly included among the five approved candidates.
Her clearance has surprised observers and added a new dimension to a race already marked by political tension.
Gbagbo, 76, is set to challenge incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, who has been in office since 2011 following the violent conflict that erupted after the disputed 2010 election.
That crisis ended with the capture of her former husband, Laurent Gbagbo, in a presidential bunker, leading to his transfer to the International Criminal Court, where he was later acquitted of crimes against humanity.
Alongside Ouattara and Simone Gbagbo, three other figures will contest the polls: former trade minister Jean-Louis Billon, engineer and ex-presidential adviser Ahoua Don Mello, and veteran politician Henriette Lagou, who previously ran in 2015.
Two high-profile politicians, former Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan and ex-Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam, were barred from participating, sparking concerns over fairness and raising fears of unrest.
Gbagbo’s candidacy holds symbolic weight in a country where women remain largely excluded from top political leadership.
Analysts believe her campaign could galvanize female voters and reshape debates on representation, even if her chances of victory remain uncertain.
The African Union and ECOWAS have urged authorities to ensure a peaceful and transparent vote, with regional partners wary of instability spilling across borders.
Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s top cocoa producer, has faced recurring political crises since 2000, and observers say the exclusion of major opposition figures could deepen divisions.
Local civic groups are calling for calm, while international monitors prepare to deploy teams ahead of the polls.
For many Ivorians, the inclusion of Simone Gbagbo underscores both the unpredictable nature of Ivorian politics and the high stakes of this year’s election.