Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo defies disqualification, throws hat into 2025 presidential race

In a surprising turn of events, former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo has declared his candidacy for the 2025 presidential election, despite facing a 20-year jail sentence that had previously disqualified him from holding public office.

The announcement was made by his party, the African People’s Party-Ivory Coast (PPA-CI), following a crucial central committee meeting held late Sunday.

Laurent Gbagbo, the first former head of state to face trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, had been acquitted of crimes against humanity in 2019. However, his political ambitions were hindered by a separate conviction in Ivory Coast, where he received a 20-year prison sentence for his involvement in holding up a bank.

Although pardoned in 2022 by the current president and former rival, Alassane Ouattara, Gbagbo’s political aspirations remained constrained as he was not granted amnesty, preventing him from standing for president in the upcoming election. Undeterred, Gbagbo’s party declared its commitment to formalizing his candidacy through an extraordinary congress, making it a top priority.

The party also revealed its intention to work towards reinstating Gbagbo’s name on the electoral lists, emphasizing the significance of his participation in the democratic process. Gbagbo’s civic rights had been revoked in 2018 due to his previous sentence, leading to his removal from the electoral roster.

In the broader political landscape, the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), the leading opposition group, appointed Tidjane Thiam as its new president in December. However, neither Thiam nor the current president, Alassane Ouattara, has officially declared their intentions for the 2025 presidential election, leaving the political arena poised for further developments and potential challenges in the upcoming race.