ABIDJAN — The Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium thrummed with songs, dances and party colours on Saturday as thousands of youth supporters of the ruling Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) gathered to back President Alassane Ouattara’s bid for a fourth term in Ivory Coast’s October 25 election.
Buses ferried young people from Abidjan’s municipalities and several regions for the mobilisation rally, which RHDP billed as a show of unity around “peace, stability and progress.” Lawmaker Siaka Koné of Bouaflé said he travelled with 10,000 youths to join “a great celebration” ahead of the vote. “We will continue the development that has been ongoing for 15 years, and we will spend another five years developing the country,” he told the crowd.
Supporters hailed Ouattara, 83, as a leader who “keeps his promises.” “Seeing everything he has done in this country, no one has done that before,” said Edmond Gbogbo. “The people need a leader who works.”
Taking the stage, Ouattara pledged to “work even harder” for Ivorian youth, framing his platform around jobs and social investment. RHDP strategists hope a strong youth turnout can blunt concerns about the president’s longevity in power.
The campaign unfolds amid heightened political tension. Opposition figures — including former president Laurent Gbagbo and PDCI-RDA leader Tidjane Thiam — argue Ouattara should not seek a fourth term. Both men were barred from the ballot by the Constitutional Council, decisions that have fuelled anger among their supporters and raised fears of unrest ahead of polling day.
Security around the stadium and key intersections in Abidjan was visibly reinforced, as authorities seek to avoid a repeat of past election-period violence in the West African nation, the world’s top cocoa producer.
With the vote days away, RHDP’s youth-focused show of force underscores the stakes: projecting momentum for the incumbent while navigating a fraught political landscape that could define the country’s stability well beyond election day.
