A court in Abidjan has postponed a hearing challenging Tidjane Thiam’s election as president of the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), extending the legal dispute over the leadership of one of the country’s major opposition parties. The hearing has been adjourned until November 19 after the judge decided to consolidate several related legal actions concerning the party’s internal electoral process and decisions taken at its congress last year. Two PDCI members initially challenged Thiam’s election, arguing that the party’s rules had not been properly followed. Another case seeks to annul resolutions adopted during the congress and calls for the appointment of an interim party president.
The first two lawsuits target the PDCI, while a third action names Thiam and his vice president directly. The dispute follows an earlier legal challenge over Thiam’s eligibility to lead the party. In May 2025, an Ivorian court dismissed a case arguing that he had lost his Ivorian nationality after acquiring French citizenship in 1987, making him ineligible for the position. Thiam, a former international banker who led Credit Suisse, has remained a prominent figure in Ivorian politics. The latest proceedings could have implications for the PDCI’s internal leadership and political direction as the country’s opposition navigates its future. The court’s decision to combine the cases means the legal challenges will be considered together at the next hearing. No final ruling on the latest challenges had been announced at the time of the adjournment.
