Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo has declared his intent to fight the removal of his name from Côte d’Ivoire’s 2025 electoral roll, calling the decision a politically motivated attempt to block his return to power. Speaking at a rally in Port-Bouët, Abidjan, Gbagbo, who now leads the African Peoples’ Party – Côte d’Ivoire (PPA–CI), described the move as part of a broader strategy to marginalize key opposition voices ahead of the next presidential election.
The electoral commission’s decision is reportedly based on Gbagbo’s 2011 conviction in absentia for alleged misappropriation of funds, which followed the post-election crisis that left over 3,000 people dead. While he was acquitted of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2021, the Ivorian conviction still bars him from running under current laws unless he receives an amnesty or pardon. Gbagbo has rejected the legal basis of the exclusion, insisting the ruling violates both his political rights and Côte d’Ivoire’s commitments to international human rights standards. He vowed to pursue all legal avenues domestically and internationally to overturn the decision.
His disqualification has sparked outcry among supporters and renewed criticism from civil society groups and opposition parties, who warn that it could undermine the credibility and inclusiveness of the 2025 vote. The controversy comes amid growing political tensions in the country, where multiple opposition leaders, including Tidjane Thiam of the PDCI, have raised similar concerns over their eligibility and the transparency of the electoral process.
