Ex-Ivorian Prez Gbagbo to contest 2025 election

Laurent Gbagbo, former President of Ivory Coast, has agreed to lead his party, the African People’s Party – Cote d’Ivoire (PPA-CI), into the 2025 presidential elections. Gbagbo, who served as president from 2000 to 2011, founded the PPA-CI in 2021 after being acquitted of war crimes charges by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and returning from exile.

Despite losing control of his previous party, the Ivorian Popular Front (IPF), while in prison awaiting trial, Gbagbo still enjoys strong support from his loyal base of supporters. The election is scheduled to take place in October 2025, and President Alassane Ouattara has not yet announced whether he will seek reelection.

Potential challengers include Tidjane Thiam, former CEO of Credit Suisse and current President of the PDCI, one of Ivory Coast’s main opposition parties. However, the PDCI has not yet officially named its candidate for the upcoming election.