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The disqualification of Côte d’Ivoire’s main opposition candidate from upcoming presidential elections could undermine the nation’s reputation as a stable investment hub, his lawyer told Semafor.
A court ruling in April barred former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam from running in October’s vote, saying he didn’t revoke his previous French citizenship early enough to qualify for this year’s race.
The move “sends a devastating signal,” said Thiam’s lawyer, arguing that the political and legal uncertainty the decision created may deter investors: Thiam is the fourth major political figure to be barred from running for president.
Analysts have also warned that the disqualification, amid a lack of clarity over whether 83-year-old President Alassane Ouattara will seek an unprecedented fourth term, could destabilize Francophone West Africa’s biggest economy. The International Monetary Fund in April called Côte d’Ivoire an “engine of growth and stability” in the eight-country West African Economic and Monetary Union.
Read on to find out about the role of national identity in Ivorian politics. →
