Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara on Tuesday, July 29, 2025 announced he will contest presidential elections slated for October this year.
In a statement posted on his social media pages, the 83-year-old said his health was not an issue and his candidacy was driven by a need to “preserve national stability amid ongoing security and economic challenges.”
Ouattara argues a new constitution approved in 2016 reset his two-term limit, meaning he is allowed to stand. He will be the poll’s frontrunner, as several potential challengers have already been barred from the race.
The excluded candidates include former President Laurent Gbagbo, ex-Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, and former minister Tidjane Thiam. On the same day Ouattara announced his bid, authorities banned a peaceful protest planned for 7 August.
The demonstration was organised by opposition groups in order to demand the reinstatement of disqualified presidential candidates and an independent audit of the voter list.
Former banker Ouattara will be hoping his track record propels him to victory in October – for four successive years Ivory Coast’s economy has grown by more than 6%.
More than 8.7 million Ivorians have registered to vote. Civil society groups and religious leaders, including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, have expressed alarm at growing political polarisation in the country.
Source: BBC News