On Saturday, former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo, acquitted of war crimes charges by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 2019, agreed to lead his founded party into the 2025 presidential elections, as confirmed by party spokesman Katinan Kone following a central committee meeting.
Gbagbo, who served as president from 2000 to 2011, established the African People’s Party – Cote d’Ivoire (PPA-CI) in 2021 upon his return from a decade abroad.
The ICC acquitted Gbagbo of charges related to his role in a civil war triggered by his refusal to accept defeat in an election. During his imprisonment awaiting trial in the Netherlands, he lost control of the party he initially established, the Ivorian Popular Front (IPF), to a former ally. Nevertheless, he maintains a substantial and devoted support base within the country.
The upcoming presidential election is anticipated to take place in October 2025. President Alassane Ouattara, re-elected in 2020, has not disclosed his decision regarding a potential re-election bid. Another potential candidate is Tidjane Thiam, the former CEO of Swiss bank Credit Suisse, who assumed the presidency of the PDCI, one of Ivory Coast’s main opposition parties, in December. However, the party has not officially nominated its chosen candidate yet.