Ivory Coast has dissolved its Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), the body responsible for organising elections, after years of opposition criticism over its neutrality and handling of the electoral process. The decision was announced after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday by government spokesman and Communications Minister Amadou Coulibaly, who said the move was intended to restore confidence in future elections, though he did not say what institution would replace the commission.
According to Coulibaly, the government acted in response to persistent “reservations” and criticism directed at the CEI. He said the aim was to create “greater trust” and reassure both Ivorians and the political class by building a mechanism capable of delivering peaceful elections over the long term. But the government stopped short of outlining a concrete replacement plan, leaving fresh uncertainty over how future votes will be managed.
The decision comes after a contentious October 2025 presidential election in which President Alassane Ouattara secured a disputed fourth term, while several major opposition figures were excluded from the race. Among them were former president Laurent Gbagbo, barred over a criminal conviction, and opposition leader Tidjane Thiam, whose candidacy was blocked on nationality grounds. The opposition has long argued that the CEI lacked independence and was structurally tilted in favour of the ruling camp. Former prime minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan, one of the candidates rejected from last year’s poll, welcomed the opening created by the decision and called for dialogue between the government, political parties and civil society to rebuild the electoral system “in the name of peace and stability.” The two main opposition forces — the PDCI and PPA-CI — did not immediately comment publicly.
The dissolution marks a major political concession by the government, but it is also only a first step. Until a credible and broadly accepted replacement is agreed, the move is likely to deepen debate over whether Ivory Coast is genuinely reforming its electoral framework or simply resetting a contested institution without resolving the underlying mistrust.
