Tidjane Thiam, the former head of Credit Suisse and a prominent candidate for leadership within Ivory Coast’s main opposition party ahead of the 2025 elections, garnered substantial support during his inaugural rally since declaring his candidacy. Addressing 2,000 party leaders and activists in the capital city, Yamoussoukro, Thiam emphasized the imperative of unity within the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) in their pursuit of regaining political ascendancy.
Drawing on his extensive background in banking and engineering, Thiam delineated a program that advocates for the “decentralization” of the party and emphasizes bolstering the autonomy and influence of the activist base.
At 61, Thiam stands as a relatively youthful figure in the West African political landscape, reentering the scene after a span of over two decades abroad, including a tenure as the head of Switzerland’s Credit Suisse from 2015 to 2020—a facet that has subjected him to criticism from adversaries.
“He spent those 20 years working! He has both cultures, it’s an asset. He is the only one who can bring together Europe and Africa,” affirmed Thiam supporter Guissa Doudou.
Thiam’s political trajectory was interrupted in 1999 when a coup displaced President Henri Konan Bedie, thereby halting his early career as a government minister.
The PDCI, once the sole legal party in Ivory Coast, has been without power since and is presently seeking a new leader following the demise of Bedie in August at the age of 89. Thiam, a great-nephew of Ivory Coast’s founding president and PDCI founder Felix Houphouet-Boigny, is perceived by his supporters as a figure capable of revitalizing both the party and the nation, eyeing the 2025 presidential election.
Lazare Ahizi, a PDCI delegate from the southern Grand-Lahou region, emphasized the need for a renewal of the political class, identifying Thiam as a pivotal reference point and the best prospect for a return to power.
Approximately 50 out of the PDCI’s 63 lawmakers have publicly expressed their endorsement for Thiam in the impending leadership contest vote scheduled for December 16. His primary contender is Jean-Marc Yace, 62, the mayor of a commune in the economic hub of Abidjan.
