Cheick Tidjane Thiam was re-elected president of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire – African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA) on Wednesday during the party’s 9th extraordinary congress held in Abidjan.
The former CEO of Crédit Suisse secured a resounding 5,190 votes out of 5,202 valid ballots cast, achieving 99.77% of the vote in an election marked by strong member turnout, with 92.69% participation.
This re-election comes amid political tension. On May 11, 2025, Thiam had announced his resignation in a move aimed at preventing the party from being placed under court-ordered administration in the midst of ongoing legal proceedings. In a message to party members, he denounced what he called “judicial harassment” orchestrated to remove him from the political scene.
Despite these challenges, the former Minister of Planning highlighted his efforts at the helm of the PDCI: “modernizing and reinvigorating our party, and reigniting our citizens’ enthusiasm.” Speaking at party headquarters on the eve of the vote, Vice President Akossi Bendjo declared that once Thiam was re-elected, the PDCI would work to make him its official candidate for the upcoming presidential election on October 25, 2025. He praised Thiam’s vision for a “reconciled, sovereign, and forward-looking” Ivory Coast.