Ivory Coast 27, October 2025 - Ivory Coast’s long-serving president, Alassane Ouattara, has won a fourth consecutive term, securing 89.77% of the vote in the country’s presidential election, according to official results released by the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) on Monday.
The 83-year-old leader, who first assumed office in 2011 after a disputed election that plunged the nation into violence, now extends his rule by another five years, solidifying his place as one of West Africa’s longest-serving heads of state. The election results were announced live from Abidjan, the country’s economic capital, in a broadcast that highlighted both the magnitude of his victory and the challenges that still lie ahead.
However, the scale of Ouattara’s win has also raised questions about the state of democracy in the West African nation. Several prominent opposition figures were barred from contesting, including former president Laurent Gbagbo disqualified over legal disputes and prior convictions. His exclusion left the field largely open, with opposition parties decrying what they called an uneven playing field.
International observers, including those from the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS, acknowledged that the voting process was largely calm but noted that political inclusivity remains a key concern for the country’s democratic health.
Ouattara’s government has been credited with rebuilding the economy after years of instability, transforming Ivory Coast into one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies. Yet, beneath the economic success lies public frustration over limited political space and the growing concentration of power in the presidency.
As Ouattara embarks on his new term, Ivorians remain cautiously hopeful — balancing pride in their nation’s development against the deep desire for stronger democratic freedoms and genuine political competition