Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara Secures Fourth Term In Landslide Election Victory

Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has won a fourth term in office after securing a landslide victory in an election overshadowed by opposition boycotts and disqualifications.

Provisional results released by the electoral commission on Monday showed the 83-year-old president capturing 89.8% of the votes. His closest rival, businessman Jean-Louis Billon, managed just 3.09%.

The result came as little surprise after two of Ouattara’s strongest challengers — former President Laurent Gbagbo and ex-Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam — were barred from running and urged their supporters to boycott the polls. Voter turnout stood at 50.1%, the commission reported.

Simone Gbagbo, the former first lady, who was cleared to contest, garnered 2.42% of the vote.

Opposition parties loyal to Gbagbo and Thiam have rejected the outcome, calling the vote a “civilian coup d’état” and vowing not to recognize Ouattara’s mandate.

Ouattara first became president in 2011 after Gbagbo’s removal from power following a disputed election. Although the constitution initially restricted him to two terms, a 2016 amendment enabled him to seek reelection in 2020 — a poll similarly boycotted by opposition parties.

The Constitutional Council is expected to confirm the final results after reviewing any legal challenges.