Ouattara Secures Fourth Term in Ivory Coast’s Presidential Election

Ivory Coast’s 83-year-old President, Alassane Ouattara, has been declared winner of the country’s presidential election, securing 89.77 percent of the votes, according to provisional results released on Monday by the Independent Electoral Commission.

The election, held on Saturday, saw a low voter turnout amid political tensions, with nearly nine million registered voters eligible to cast their ballots. Major opposition figures, including former president Laurent Gbagbo and ex–Prime Minister Guillaume Soro, were barred from contesting, a move that drew criticism from civil society groups and international observers.

Despite the opposition’s boycott, the commission reported that the polls were largely peaceful, though some areas witnessed protests and sporadic clashes in the run-up to voting day.

Ouattara’s landslide victory marks his fourth consecutive term in office, consolidating his grip on power in the world’s largest cocoa producer. The outcome has sparked fresh debates about democratic continuity and constitutional limits in West Africa, where several leaders have extended their rule through controversial constitutional amendments.

Regional leaders are expected to congratulate Ouattara in the coming days, while analysts say attention will now turn to how his new administration addresses economic inequality and political reconciliation after years of tension.