Ivory Coast's President Ouattara Wins Fourth Term Amid Controversy

Fri Dec 05 2025 06:36:14 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

President Alassane Ouattara secures his fourth term with a reported 89.8% of the vote amid significant opposition boycotts and allegations of an unfair election.

Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara, aged 83, has achieved a commanding 89.8% victory in provisional election results. His main rivals were barred from participating, including former President Laurent Gbagbo, who called for a boycott. Voter turnout was only 50.1%, and the opposition has condemned the election results, labeling it a 'civilian coup d'état'. The final decision on the election will be made by the Constitutional Council after it reviews any petitions.

Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara has secured a fourth term in an election which two of his biggest challengers were barred from, provisional results show.

Ouattara, 83, won 89.8% of the vote, according to the electoral commission, with businessman Jeal-Louis Billon coming a distant second at 3.09%.

The landslide victory is not a huge surprise given that former President Laurent Gbagbo and ex-CEO of Credit Suisse Tidjane Thiam, both barred from the presidential race, had asked their followers to boycott the election.

Voter turnout was reported at 50.1% by the electoral commission.

These results are provisional, with the final outcome pending a ruling from the Constitutional Council on any election petitions. The opposition coalition led by Gbagbo and Thiam has denounced the election as a 'civilian coup d'état' and stated they will not recognize Ouattara as a legitimate leader.

Ouattara initially took office in 2011, following Gbagbo's arrest after he refused to concede defeat in the 2010 elections. Although he was limited to two terms, a constitutional reform in 2016 allowed him to run again in 2020, a vote also boycotted by opposition parties.