Simone Gbagbo, Former First Lady, Eyes Presidency in Ivory Coast

Wed Oct 22 2025 00:15:21 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a surprising turn of events, former First Lady Simone Gbagbo has been cleared to run for the presidency of Ivory Coast, challenging President Ouattara in the upcoming elections.

The candidacy of 76-year-old Simone Gbagbo for the Ivory Coast presidency is seen as significant in a political landscape marked by the exclusion of other prominent candidates. With concerns over the legitimacy of the upcoming elections, Gbagbo's entry as a female contender could reshape perceptions of women's roles in governance.

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 took power after she and her former husband, Laurent Gbagbo, were captured during the country’s post-election conflict in 2010.

However, the ex-president has been barred from contesting, along with former Prime Minister Pascal Affi N'Guessan and ex-Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam, raising concerns about the integrity of the October 25 vote.

Thiam, disqualified for his previous French citizenship, has called the decision "an act of democratic vandalism," accusing the Ouattara administration of organizing a ploy to retain power.

Ouattara assumed the presidency in 2011 after Laurent Gbagbo's arrest. Although originally limited to two terms, a 2016 constitutional revision permitted his continued candidacy, which has faced opposition boycott and unrest.

Laurent Gbagbo's own disqualification arises from a 2018 conviction related to looting the central bank during the post-election turmoil, with his past also marred by charges of crimes against humanity which were acquitted.

Simone Gbagbo's candidacy is emblematic of broader issues concerning female representation within Ivorian politics, where only 30% of parliamentarians are women. Dubbed The Iron Lady, she stands as a strong female candidate in a historically male-dominated contest.

With a political resume that includes serving as an MP, Simone's past has been intertwined with political violence but also speaks to her resilience, especially following her 2015 prison sentence and subsequent forgiveness from President Ouattara aimed at reconciliation.

Campaigning under the slogan of building a new nation towards a prosperous Africa, she emerges not just as a candidate but a symbol of aspiration for women in Ivorian leadership, promising to deliver beyond her tumultuous past.

As the official election campaign begins on October 10 and with Ivorian voters nearing 8.7 million, concerns persist over public trust in election integrity—primarily ignited by the exclusion of key opposition figures.

The political landscape will be closely watched, especially regarding whether Simone Gbagbo can challenge the status quo and potentially reshape the leadership dynamic in her favor.