Ivory Coast Heads to Polls Amid Rising Tensions and Missing Rivals

Ouattara’s supporters argue that his leadership has brought stability and economic growth, particularly after years of conflict and instability. But critics counter that his administration has increasingly tightened control over the political space, eroding freedoms and silencing opposition voices. The president’s decision to amend the constitution in 2016 effectively reset term limits, allowing him to run again.

Opposition leaders and civil society groups have called the move unconstitutional, describing it as part of a broader trend of “third-termism” across Africa, where ageing leaders seek to extend their rule. The stakes are high: Ivory Coast remains the world’s top cocoa producer and a key regional economic hub. Yet rising youth unemployment, inequality, and political polarisation threaten to destabilise its fragile peace.

Many Ivorians are now expressing fatigue and frustration. “We want change, not endless terms,” one voter told Reuters. But with key rivals missing from the ballot and the opposition fractured, Ouattara appears well-positioned to secure another term, raising questions about the future of democracy in Ivory Coast and the wider region.