Ivory Coast opposition lawmakers gathered in protest alongside activists outside a courthouse in Abidjan on Wednesday as their party leader, Tidjane Thiam, faced a legal challenge regarding his eligibility to stand in the upcoming presidential election.
Thiam, who heads the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), is expected to run in the October election. However, his candidacy has been questioned due to his previous French citizenship. He had been a French national since 1987 but announced in February that he was renouncing it.
Critics argue that under Ivory Coast’s nationality law, which dates back to the 1960s, any Ivorian who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality automatically loses their Ivorian citizenship. Thiam’s supporters, however, believe the legal challenge is a deliberate attempt to block him from contesting the election.
“We cannot accept people using artifices to stop our president from becoming president of the Republic,” said PDCI lawmaker Simon Doho.
Police swiftly dispersed the protest, and the court is set to issue its ruling on April 11. Meanwhile, the PDCI has yet to announce its candidate for the election. The party will convene on Saturday to decide on a date for the nomination process. Former trade minister Jean-Louis Billon has already expressed his intention to vie for the party’s ticket.
