The Ivorian government has banned public gatherings and demonstrations protesting the exclusion of leading opposition figures from the country’s October 25 presidential election.
The announcement followed the Constitutional Council’s publication of the final list of approved candidates.
Several high-profile opposition leaders were barred from the race. Among those disqualified are Tidjane Thiam, head of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) and former CEO of Credit Suisse; former President Laurent Gbagbo; Charles Blé Goudé, a former youth minister; and former Prime Minister Guillaume Soro.
Authorities cited legal grounds for their exclusion. Thiam was ruled ineligible after a court determined he still held French nationality at the time of his registration, despite renouncing it earlier this year.
The decision has sparked widespread protests. In Abidjan’s Yopougon district, demonstrators carried banners reading “Enough is enough!” and “No true democracy without true justice,” demanding that the barred candidates be reinstated.
Government officials defended the restrictions, arguing they are necessary to maintain public order and to curb unrest linked to the opposition rallies. They also accused protest organisers of spreading false information.
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Critics, however, warned that the exclusions and subsequent ban on demonstrations represent a serious threat to democratic freedoms. The development comes as Ivory Coast prepares for elections in a country still scarred by post-election violence in 2010 that claimed thousands of lives.
It remains uncertain whether the disqualified candidates will succeed in overturning the Constitutional Council’s decision through domestic courts or international intervention. Political observers say the coming weeks will serve as a critical test of Ivory Coast’s democratic institutions.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
