Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara has reportedly been re-elected for a fourth term, as indicated by provisional election results. According to the electoral commission, Ouattara, who is 83 years old, received 89.8% of the ballots cast, while businessman Jeal-Louis Billon came in second with only 3.09% of the vote.
The outcome was anticipated, as former President Laurent Gbagbo and ex-Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam were barred from participating in the election. Both figures had called on their supporters to boycott the electoral process. Voter turnout was recorded at 50.1%, according to the commission.
Simone Gbagbo, the ex-wife of Laurent Gbagbo and one of the few opposition candidates allowed to run, garnered 2.42% of the votes. It is important to note that the results announced are provisional. The Constitutional Council will review any election petitions and confirm the final outcome.
In response to the election, the opposition coalition, which includes Gbagbo and Thiam’s parties, labeled the event a “civilian coup d’état” and announced they would not recognize Ouattara as a legitimately elected leader.
Ouattara initially took office in 2011 after the arrest of Laurent Gbagbo, who had refused to concede defeat in the 2010 elections. Although Ouattara was originally limited to two terms, a constitutional amendment in 2016 enabled him to seek re-election in 2020, an election also boycotted by the opposition.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cddrzl9nmm2o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss