Ivory Coast’s main opposition leader, Tidjane Thiam, has been struck off the country’s electoral roll, effectively disqualifying him from standing in the upcoming presidential election in October.
The decision, handed down by a court on Tuesday, has sparked outrage among his supporters and intensified political tensions just six months ahead of the polls.
The court ruled that Thiam lost his Ivorian nationality when he acquired French citizenship in 1987, a move that disqualifies him from being eligible to vote or stand as a candidate.
Thiam, who was appointed leader of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) earlier this month, condemned the verdict as “an act of democratic vandalism.”
According to his lawyer, Ange Rodrigue Dadje, the court “granted the petitioners’ requests and ordered Thiam’s removal from the electoral list,” basing its ruling on Article 48 of the country’s nationality code.
The article, dating back to the 1960s, stipulates that Ivorian citizenship is lost when another nationality is acquired—unless the individual holds dual nationality from birth.
Thiam, a former international banker who renounced his French citizenship in March to meet the eligibility criteria, has long faced questions over his nationality. His legal team argued that he was French by birth through his father and therefore should not have lost his Ivorian nationality, but the court did not accept this reasoning. The ruling is final and cannot be appealed.
Supporters of Thiam and the PDCI claim the case was politically motivated and part of a broader effort to exclude major opposition figures from the race. “This decision clearly shows that we were in a political trial,” said Simon Doho, head of the PDCI’s parliamentary group.
The ruling party, the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP), denied any involvement. “We have nothing to do with this case, and we have no comments to make on court decisions,” said RHDP spokesperson Mamadou Touré. “When justice is in their favour, it is independent, and when it isn’t, it is manipulated,” he added.
The PDCI had officially confirmed Thiam’s candidacy just last week. Despite the ruling, Thiam appeared defiant. “October 2025 is still a long way away, but I know I won’t be spared,” he said previously.
Thiam joins a growing list of opposition leaders barred from contesting the presidency. Former president Laurent Gbagbo, his ally Charles Blé Goudé, and exiled former prime minister Guillaume Soro have all been ruled ineligible by courts on various grounds.
Meanwhile, the ruling RHDP has yet to announce its candidate, though party leaders have called for incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, 83, to seek a fourth term. The party is set to hold a congress in June.
