Côte d'Ivoire is a diverse country with more than 60 ethnic groups. The French colonial administration and founding President Félix Houphouët-Boigny had encouraged people from neighbouring Sahel countries to immigrate and work in the Ivorian commercial agriculture sector and urban informal economy – especially in the north. Inter-ethnic tensions emerged during the late colonial period and began to have political consequences soon after independence (1960). The country’s political landscape over the last 30 years has been shaped by the alliances and rivalries between current President Alassane Ouattara and former heads of state Henri Konan Bédié and Laurent Gbagbo and their supporters. Each leader has run political campaigns that have used ethnicity as a political wedge. This ethnic cleavage-based political competition contributed to the post-electoral crises in 2010-2011 and 2020.

Soon after succeeding the deceased President Houphouët-Boigny, President Henri Konan Bédié formulated a narrow concept of citizenship and identity called Ivoirite, which discriminated against northerners and Muslims. Bédié was forced from power through a military coup in 1999. The sense of ethnic exclusion that accompanied Laurent Gbagbo’s election in 2000 contributed to a military rebellion in 2002 that morphed into a civil war that continued until 2007. After having been prevented from running for office earlier (due to discriminatory laws), Ouattara ran and won in 2010. Gbabgo’s refusal to accept the 2010 election results led to a violent post-electoral crisis, in which armed clashes between the supporters of Gbabgo and Ouattara killed over 3,000 people. The conflict was followed by Gbagbo’s arrest and detention at The Hague, where he was charged and subsequently acquitted of committing War Crimes by the International Criminal Court. Relative stability prevailed during Ouattara’s first two terms of office, but his unwillingness to pursue political reform, and genuine reconciliation and his decision to undertake a third term (enabled by a new constitution ratified in 2016), significantly contributed to the outbreak of violence during the 2020 electoral process, which he also won.

Cote d’Ivoire has persistently performed at the mid-range in Gender Equality. While recent initiatives to mainstream gender in climate change actions are promising, gender discriminatory practices, including political exclusion and labor market marginalization. The LGBTQIA+ community also faces discrimination in healthcare housing and education as well as violence.

Going forward, it is important to watch Credible Elections, Freedom of Expression, and Electoral Participation, especially in light of the upcoming 2025 presidential elections. Commitment from all parties to credible and decisive elections will be key to a return to democracy. Addressing corruption is important for both democratic and economic growth, and the government has in recent years stepped up its anti-corruption measures. It is unclear, however, if this will be sufficient to assuage popular concerns. Military and economic development initiatives have curbed jihadist expansion from the Sahel into northern Côte d’Ivoire, however the security situation should be monitored because of its potential impact across many Global State of Democracy Indices indicators.   

Last updated: June 2024