IVORY Coast’s President, Alassane Ouattara, has secured a resounding victory in the country’s presidential election, winning a fourth term with an overwhelming 89.77% of the vote, the electoral commission confirmed today.
This victory comes after his two main rivals were barred from running—former President Laurent Gbagbo due to a criminal conviction and former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam for holding French nationality.
Nearly nine million Ivorians were eligible to vote on October 25, 2025, in the world’s largest cocoa producer.
Despite tensions and violent unrest in the lead-up to the election, the turnout was near 100% in Ouattara’s northern strongholds, and he also managed to secure significant support in southern and Abidjan regions, historically seen as opposition strongholds.
Jean-Louis Billon, an entrepreneur and one of the few candidates allowed to run, trailed far behind with just 3.09% of the vote.
A 50.10% voter turnout was reported, echoing similar levels from the 2020 election when Ouattara won by a landslide amid an opposition boycott.
Political analysts have noted that while Ouattara’s supporters came out in force, the low turnout in areas such as Gbagbo’s former stronghold of Gagnoa, where Ouattara received 92% of the vote with just 20% voter participation, indicates widespread opposition apathy and disillusionment.
Opposition parties have already dismissed Ouattara’s victory, calling the election “illegitimate” and demanding a new election.
They point to the absence of key opposition figures and the tense political climate as reasons for the low voter participation.
While some areas experienced unrest, with clashes on election day leaving several injured and at least eight dead in election-related violence, the government had enforced a nighttime curfew and deployed 44,000 security personnel to maintain order.
Despite the tensions, Abidjan returned to near-normalcy today, with pro-Ouattara newspapers celebrating the result, while opposition media criticized the election as a reflection of a divided country.