Once again, Alassane Ouattara, the man who calls himself the guarantor of Ivory Coast’s stability, has secured another term as president, extending his leadership over the world’s top cocoa producer into a fourth mandate.
After Ivorians cast their votes on Saturday, few were surprised when, by Monday, October 27, the 83-year-old leader was declared the winner. The Electoral Commission, led by Ibrahime Kuibiert Coulibaly, announced that Ouattara received an overwhelming 89.7% of the vote. His new term will begin after his current one ends in late 2025, pushing his tenure beyond 14 years in power.
However, the victory has reignited debate across the country and the wider region, not over who won, but whether Ouattara will ever step aside.
Ouattara has described his next term as one of “generational transition,” pledging to prepare younger leaders within the ruling Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) to take the reins. Yet critics argue that this promise has grown hollow.
In 2016, a constitutional amendment reset presidential term limits, allowing Ouattara to run again. His allies defended the move as “legal and necessary for stability,” while opposition leaders denounced it as “constitutional manipulation,” echoing a growing trend among West African leaders extending their rule through legal loopholes.
The October 2025 election was shaped as much by those barred from contesting as by those who ran. Former President Laurent Gbagbo was disqualified due to a criminal conviction, while Tidjane Thiam, former Credit Suisse CEO, was ruled ineligible on citizenship grounds.
With major contenders sidelined, voter turnout stagnated around 50%, mirroring previous elections. Civil society observers warn that such restrictions could fuel political apathy among the youth, who make up more than two-thirds of the population.
Within the RHDP, quiet tension brews over who might eventually succeed Ouattara. Analysts note that younger party members are pushing for renewal in a movement still dominated by the president and his close allies.
Speculation in local media has pointed to former Prime Minister Patrick Achi and Defence Minister Téné Birahima Ouattara, the president’s younger brother, as potential successors. Yet no official succession plan has been announced, reinforcing public skepticism that this will truly be Ouattara’s final term.
Supporters hail Ouattara for transforming Ivory Coast’s post-conflict economy, maintaining 6% annual growth, and modernizing infrastructure. They argue that his continued leadership ensures stability, especially amid regional insecurity in Mali and Burkina Faso.
Critics, however, caution that stability under one man’s rule could come at the cost of democratic progress. The country’s future, and Ouattara’s legacy, will depend on whether he can orchestrate a genuine democratic handover before fatigue turns into frustration among younger Ivorians.
As one youth activist remarked on social media, “He says it’s his last term. But we’ve heard that line before.”
