Côte d’Ivoire: Tidjane Thiam removed from electoral roll
On Tuesday, April 22, 2025, the Abidjan Court of First Instance ordered the removal of Tidjane Thiam, President of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI-RDA), from the provisional electoral roll.
The ruling follows several legal challenges, notably from N’Zi Bernard Kokora, a senior figure in the ruling party, the RHDP of President Alassane Ouattara. The petitioners contested Thiam’s inclusion on the electoral list, citing his dual nationality at the time of registration.
Although the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) initially deemed the challenges admissible but unfounded, the judiciary, upon appeal, ultimately ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.
According to Thiam’s lawyer, Me Ange Rodrigue Dadjé, “The presiding judge ruled that Mr. Thiam lost his Ivorian nationality when he acquired French citizenship in 1987. As a result, she granted the request for his removal from the list.”
As the officially designated presidential candidate of the PDCI-RDA, Tidjane Thiam now sees his political future in jeopardy—unless there is a legal or political turnaround. If the ruling stands, the former CEO of Credit Suisse will not be able to run in the presidential election.
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