Ivory Coast's former First Lady Simone Gbagbo, 76, is the surprise inclusion in a list of five candidates officially cleared to contest next month's presidential election. She will run against President Alassane Ouattara, 83, who assumed power after she and her former husband, Laurent Gbagbo, were captured during the 2010-2011 conflict.
While Gbagbo's husband has been barred from contesting due to a criminal conviction, other prominent opposition figures have also faced disqualifications, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the upcoming vote scheduled for October 25.
Thiam, a disqualified candidate, expressed that this process feels like a 'sham election' designed to preserve Ouattara's grip on power. Ouattara won the presidency in 2011 amid a political crisis and has since adapted the constitution to extend his term limits.
Despite the challenges, Simone Gbagbo's candidacy is seen as a pivotal move for women in Ivorian politics, where only 30% of parliamentarians are female. Hers is the strongest position for a woman in the country's presidential race, alongside ex-minister Henriette Lagou Adjoua.
Once dubbed 'The Iron Lady,' Gbagbo has a long history in politics, overshadowed by her controversial past involving the political violence that erupted post-2010 elections, leading to numerous deaths. Although she was sentenced to prison in 2015, she received amnesty in 2020, allowing her to maintain her political ambitions.
Her campaign emphasizes the need for a 'new nation' and aims to inspire Ivorian women to reach the highest political offices. Local analysts note that her candidacy challenges societal norms about women's leadership in Ivory Coast. With questions regarding her ex-husband's support still uncertain, all eyes remain on her potential to reshape the political landscape ahead of the elections.
While Gbagbo's husband has been barred from contesting due to a criminal conviction, other prominent opposition figures have also faced disqualifications, raising concerns about the legitimacy of the upcoming vote scheduled for October 25.
Thiam, a disqualified candidate, expressed that this process feels like a 'sham election' designed to preserve Ouattara's grip on power. Ouattara won the presidency in 2011 amid a political crisis and has since adapted the constitution to extend his term limits.
Despite the challenges, Simone Gbagbo's candidacy is seen as a pivotal move for women in Ivorian politics, where only 30% of parliamentarians are female. Hers is the strongest position for a woman in the country's presidential race, alongside ex-minister Henriette Lagou Adjoua.
Once dubbed 'The Iron Lady,' Gbagbo has a long history in politics, overshadowed by her controversial past involving the political violence that erupted post-2010 elections, leading to numerous deaths. Although she was sentenced to prison in 2015, she received amnesty in 2020, allowing her to maintain her political ambitions.
Her campaign emphasizes the need for a 'new nation' and aims to inspire Ivorian women to reach the highest political offices. Local analysts note that her candidacy challenges societal norms about women's leadership in Ivory Coast. With questions regarding her ex-husband's support still uncertain, all eyes remain on her potential to reshape the political landscape ahead of the elections.
