Ivory Coast’s main opposition figure, Tidjane Thiam, announced on Monday that he is stepping down as leader of the Democratic Party (PDCI), though he emphasised he will continue to spearhead efforts to win the country’s upcoming presidential election in October 2025.
Thiam’s resignation comes just weeks after a court in Abidjan removed his name from the electoral roll, citing that the 62-year-old had forfeited his Ivorian nationality upon acquiring French citizenship in 1987. Under Ivorian law, presidential candidates must hold only Ivorian citizenship. In an attempt to meet this requirement, Thiam—who was born in Ivory Coast—officially renounced his French citizenship in March.
His leadership of the PDCI has also come under legal scrutiny. A party member has challenged both his nationality status and the legitimacy of his election as party president.
“In the interest of the party, I’ve decided to place my mandate as president of the party in your hands, the activists,” Thiam said in a speech posted on social media.
However, he made it clear that his departure from the party’s top position does not signal an end to his presidential ambitions.
“This decision does not change the commitment I made in December 2023 to personally lead our party to victory in October 2025,” he declared. “I know that after electing me in 2023, you will give me your trust again,” he added.
Thiam is not the only opposition figure barred from the upcoming race. Former president Laurent Gbagbo has also been excluded due to past criminal convictions.
