Ivory Coast’s ruling party has thrown its weight behind President Alassane Ouattara to pursue a fourth term in the 2025 presidential elections. Despite the 82-year-old leader’s previous suggestions of stepping down, support from his party, the Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP), signals that another run may be imminent.
In 2020, Ouattara secured a controversial third term in office, sparking unrest as opposition figures declared his candidacy unconstitutional. The president, however, argued that a new constitution passed in 2016 effectively reset the two-term limit, allowing him to seek re-election. The period surrounding the 2020 vote was marred by violence, leading to the deaths of at least 85 people.
Ouattara had previously indicated his desire to retire from politics, suggesting he might only continue if his long-time political rivals, Laurent Gbagbo and Henri Konan Bédié, committed to leaving the political stage as well. Both men had also contested Ouattara’s legitimacy to run in 2020.
Top officials from the RHDP met on Monday and adopted a motion to ensure Ouattara’s leadership remains intact for the upcoming election. According to three cabinet ministers who attended the meeting, the party sees no viable candidate other than Ouattara. One minister revealed that the meeting’s objective was to persuade Ouattara to run again.
“We’ve informed him that the supporters want no one but him,” said one of the ministers, requesting anonymity. “He has no choice but to be our candidate in 2025.” Another added that the party had already begun preparing for the campaign, awaiting Ouattara’s official declaration.
Ouattara has governed Ivory Coast since 2011, maintaining a period of relative stability despite the nation’s complex political landscape. However, the 2020 election tensions revived concerns of political volatility, particularly given the violent clashes between rival factions.
Ouattara had initially intended to hand over power to his chosen successor, Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly, who passed away months before the 2020 election, compelling him to step in once more. While the Ivorian Constitutional Court cleared his candidacy, opposition figures chose to boycott the polls, protesting the legitimacy of his third term.
