Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara has secured a fourth term, capturing 89.77 percent of votes in the country’s presidential election, according to provisional results released Monday by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
The 83-year-old leader’s victory was largely expected after several major opposition figures were barred from running, leaving his challengers with limited backing.
Ouattara’s closest competitors, former commerce minister Jean-Louis Billon and ex–first lady Simone Gbagbo, received 3.09 percent and 2.42 percent of the vote, respectively, IEC President Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert confirmed. Billon conceded defeat on Sunday, while Gbagbo reportedly congratulated Ouattara on his win.
A former deputy managing director at the IMF, Ouattara has governed the West African nation for nearly 15 years, guiding it through a period of steady economic growth following political unrest. His renewed mandate extends his tenure, making him one of the region’s longest-serving leaders.
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Despite the decisive result, critics have questioned the election’s credibility. Tidjane Thiam, former Credit Suisse CEO and one of the disqualified candidates, described the vote as “not a real election,” citing low turnout and a climate of intimidation.
Ouattara has said this fourth term will be his last. Nevertheless, his extended rule reflects a wider pattern in Africa of leaders maintaining power for decades, a trend exemplified by Cameroon’s 92-year-old Paul Biya, in office for 43 years, and Equatorial Guinea’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema, the world’s longest-serving head of state.
