Français 
The Constitutional Council has validated five candidacies for the October 25 election:
- Alassane Ouattara (RHDP)
- Simone Gbagbo (MGC)
- Jean-Louis Billon (Code)
- Ahoua Don Mello
- Henriette Lagou (GP-PAIX)
Two major opposition figures are excluded:
- Laurent Gbagbo (PPA-CI): declared ineligible due to his 20-year prison sentence in the so-called “BCEAO robbery” case.
- Tidjane Thiam (PDCI): his candidacy was rejected, as the Council determined he also holds French nationality — which violates the requirement to hold exclusively Ivorian nationality to run for office.
The candidacy of Pascal Affi N’Guessan (FPI) was also invalidated for failing to meet the required number of sponsorships.
The political climate remains tense ahead of the vote, due to:
- disputes over Alassane Ouattara’s potential fourth term, deemed unconstitutional by part of the opposition;
- the sense of exclusion among major political figures, which reopens wounds from past crises;
The electoral campaign will run from October 10 to 23, amid widespread frustration
