Ivory Coast dissolves electoral commission after mounting opposition pressure

Ivory Coast has dissolved its Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), the body responsible for organising national elections, following months of criticism from opposition parties over its impartiality and handling of the electoral process.

The decision was taken on Wednesday during a cabinet meeting, several months after President Alassane Ouattara secured a fourth term in a disputed October presidential election. The vote was marked by the exclusion of key opposition figures, intensifying long-standing concerns about electoral fairness in the country.

Government spokesperson and Communications Minister Amadou Coulibaly confirmed the dissolution of the commission, citing sustained public and political concerns about its operations.

“In view of the reservations expressed about this institution, as well as the criticism it has faced, the Council of Ministers has decided to dissolve it,” he said.

Coulibaly did not provide details on what body would replace the commission. He said discussions on a new electoral framework would be handled within government structures at a later stage.

“I cannot tell you at this stage what this new mechanism will be, which will certainly be discussed and put in place at the government level,” he added.

According to the government, the decision is intended to restore confidence in electoral management and improve conditions for future polls.

Former Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan welcomed the move and called for broader political engagement in designing a replacement system. He urged authorities to involve political parties and civil society in reform efforts aimed at stabilising the electoral process.

In a post on X, he called for “dialogue with political and civil society organisations to rebuild the electoral system, in the name of peace and stability.”

There has been no immediate response from major opposition groups, including the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast led by Tidjane Thiam and the African Peoples’ Party–Ivory Coast headed by former president Laurent Gbagbo.

Both Gbagbo and Thiam were excluded from the last presidential race due to legal and nationality-related issues, a decision that contributed to tensions around the election.

Opposition parties have repeatedly accused the now-dissolved commission of lacking independence, alleging bias in election administration and in the management of the national voter register.