Simone Gbagbo, the former First Lady of Ivory Coast, has emerged as a notable candidate in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 25. At 76, she was included in a list of five candidates cleared by the Constitutional Council. Her entry into the race pits her against the current president, Alassane Ouattara, who is 83 and assumed power following the controversial 2010 election results that led to political unrest and her husband Laurent Gbagbo’s capture.
Laurent Gbagbo, the former president, has been disqualified from the race due to a 2018 criminal conviction related to events during the post-election crisis in 2010. Ex-Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan and former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam have also been barred from running, which has raised questions about the election’s legitimacy and potential stability in the country.
Thiam criticized his disqualification as an affront to democratic principles, while concerns grow over public trust as some prominent candidates have been excluded from the ballot. Ouattara, initially limited to two terms, sought re-election after a constitutional amendment in 2016, a move that has been met with skepticism from opposition factions.
Simone Gbagbo, who has experienced significant political and legal challenges, including a previous 20-year prison sentence and later amnesty in 2018, represents a symbolic moment for women in Ivorian politics, where female representation remains low—only around 30% of parliamentarians are women. Her candidacy not only signifies a potential shift in leadership dynamics but also a step towards greater female political representation.
As the election campaign begins on October 10, the political landscape remains charged, with concerns over the implications of candidate disqualification potentially impacting voter engagement and political stability in Ivory Coast. It is unclear whether Simone Gbagbo will receive any support from her ex-husband, Laurent, following their divorce earlier in 2023.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4jpjqy9wlo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss