Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara faces a fragmented opposition in his bid for re-election next month. No less than 33 candidates had applied to run, with the Constitutional Court clearing a final 10. Ten candidates, eight men and two women, will compete in the October 25th presidential election in Ivory Coast. One of the questions the country’s Constitutional Council had to answer was whether incumbent Alassane Ouattara was eligible to run again. Some of his opponents claimed he did not meet all the criteria, but the council president, Mamadou Kone, concluded he did. He said that after inspecting Ouattara’s application he found it to be in keeping with the electoral legal requirements, and his name will be added to the final list of candidates to run for the presidency.
Before the announcement, police deployed around the Constitutional Court building in Abidjan.
The elections are expected to be a milestone in solidifying peace, after years of civil war and clashes that marred the previous elections in 2010.
The results were disputed and supporters of then-president Laurent Gbagbo and opposition candidate Alassane Ouattara fought each other for months, leaving about 3,000 people dead. Ultimately, Gbagbo was arrested and Ouattara became president
Full Article: Ten Candidates to Stand in Ivory Coast Presidential Election.
