Ivory Coast Election 2025: Incumbent Ouattara Seeks Fourth Term Amid Opposition Barriers
Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara, who is seeking a fourth term, votes during the presidential election at a polling station at the Lycee Saint-Marie de Cocody in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, October 25, 2025. REUTERS/Luc Gnago
Abidjan, Ivory Coast — Voters in Ivory Coast cast ballots on Saturday in a presidential election expected to extend President Alassane Ouattara’s tenure into a fourth term. With more than eight million registered voters, the outcome is likely to hinge on the exclusion of key opposition figures and the dynamics of a reform-era economy.
Despite being 83 years old, Ouattara remains the dominant figure in the race, touting nearly 15 years of economic growth since taking power after the 2010–11 civil conflict. His campaign emphasises infrastructure expansion, cocoa-sector strength, and fiscal stability.
However, the electoral process is overshadowed by controversy. Two major potential challengers former first lady Simone Gbagbo and ex-bank chief Tidjane Thiam were declared ineligible to run, generating outcry from opposition parties and international observers. Polling stations opened at 08:00 GMT. They are scheduled to close at 18:00 GMT, after which vote counting begins, with preliminary results expected within five days. If no candidate secures a majority, a runoff will be triggered.
“Peace has returned,” Ouattara declared as he cast his vote in Abidjan’s Cocody district, adding that the election was proceeding smoothly. Yet his supporters and critics alike voiced mixed feelings.
Driver Souamane Cisse said, “He has really changed the image of Ivory Coast, but this should be his last mandate. We need to pass the torch to the next generation.”
Despite an average growth rate of around 7 % in recent years and one of Africa’s fastest-expanding economies, many Ivorians remain concerned about youth unemployment, rising living costs, and whether growth has been inclusive. The barring of leading opposition candidates has further heightened fears about democratic backsliding.
Ivory Coast is Africa’s top cocoa producer and home to one of the region’s most investment-friendly economies. A stable leadership transition would bolster investor reassurance. On the flip side, if democratic norms weaken further, it could pressure foreign capital and stir regional instability.
The election outcome will send signals to neighboring states, many of which face similar generational leadership questions and governance challenges.
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