Ivory Coast’s former trade minister, Jean-Louis Billon, is seeking to lead the opposition in the October presidential election after the exclusion of former Credit Suisse chief Tidjane Thiam from the final list of candidates.
Billon, 60, is vying for the support of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), blaming party officials for the mishandling of Thiam’s candidacy.
The electoral commission’s decision to exclude Thiam, citing his dual nationality, has raised tensions in the world’s top cocoa producer, which has a history of election-related violence.
Billon, however, has vowed to lift restrictions on dual nationality if elected, citing the thousands of Ivorians living abroad with dual citizenship.
Billon’s platform also includes trimming the civil service, cracking down on corruption, promoting private sector investment, and relocating government offices to the political capital, Yamoussoukro.
He emphasized the need for change, stating, “Ivory Coast will change. I think our elders have had their day.”
Incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, 83, has not announced whether he will seek re-election, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the election.
