Ouattara to Seek Fourth Term in Côte d’Ivoire Presidential Election

BREAKING NEWSJuly 31, 2025 at 7:50 AM UTC

TLDR

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara will run for a fourth term in the October 2025 election, extending his time in office beyond previous pledges to step down
The 83-year-old announced his candidacy on Tuesday, citing economic stability and the absence of strong opposition challengers
Ouattara came to power in 2011 following a civil war triggered by former president Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to concede defeat

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara will run for a fourth term in the October 2025 election, extending his time in office beyond previous pledges to step down.

The 83-year-old announced his candidacy on Tuesday, citing economic stability and the absence of strong opposition challengers. Ouattara came to power in 2011 following a civil war triggered by former president Laurent Gbagbo’s refusal to concede defeat. His decision to run again comes despite earlier promises to hand over to a younger generation.

The country’s electoral commission has excluded high-profile rivals such as Gbagbo and former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam from the race, making Ouattara the clear front-runner. His supporters point to sustained economic growth, with the IMF projecting GDP to expand 6.3% this year.

A former Deputy Managing Director at the IMF and ex-governor of the BCEAO, Ouattara has built his legacy around economic reforms and regional diplomacy. His earlier elections were marked by political deals that helped avoid large-scale unrest, although the 2020 vote saw clashes that left 85 people dead.

Ouattara’s bid could secure continuity but raises concerns about democratic stagnation and voter disenfranchisement ahead of the polls.

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Key Takeaways

Alassane Ouattara’s extended stay in office reflects a broader trend across West Africa, where aging incumbents often cite economic success and national unity to justify bypassing term limits. While Côte d’Ivoire has posted strong growth—averaging around 6% annually—political reforms have lagged. Ouattara’s tenure brought macroeconomic gains and global investor confidence, but critics argue that democratic consolidation has stalled. The exclusion of key rivals from the 2025 ballot mirrors past patterns. In 2020, Ouattara invoked a constitutional revision to justify a third term after his chosen successor died. This led to boycotts and violence. With opposition voices sidelined again, the upcoming election risks being perceived as a formality rather than a contest. Regional observers warn that repeated exceptions to term limits could weaken institutional norms, especially in countries that have experienced coups or democratic backsliding. In this context, Ouattara’s leadership offers stability, but at the potential cost of long-term democratic accountability.

Ivory Coast

Alassane Ouattara

Elections

Economy

West Africa

WAEMU