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Alassane Ouattara to run for fourth term as president of Cote d'Ivoire

Ouattara, 83, has been in power since 2011, elected three separate terms

PRETORIA, July 29. /TASS/. President of Cote d'Iviore Alassane Ouattara has announced that he will run for president again at the upcoming election in October.

"I have decided to throw my hat into the ring," the local 7 Info news portal quoted him as saying. "After thoughtful reflection, I hereby announce my decision to run for president."

Last month, the country’s ruling party, the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace, nominated Ouattara as its candidate for president.

Ouattara, 83, has been in power since 2011, elected three separate terms.

Under the country’s constitution, adopted after a 2016 referendum, a person can be elected president for two consecutive office terms. In 2020, the Constitutional Council ruled not to take into account Ouattara’s two previous terms, since those elections were held under the old constitution. Thus, he can run for his next office term at the next election scheduled for October 25, 2025.

Earlier, Cote d’Ivoire’s independent electoral commission rejected registration for four leading opposition candidates, namely leader of the Democratic Party - African Democratic Rally Tidjane Thiam, former President (2000-2011) Laurent Gbagbo, former Prime Minister (2007-2012) Guillaume Soro, and former minister for youth affairs (20102011), Charles Ble Goude. Thiam and Gbagbo’s parties have announced plans to form a consolidated front to ensure their leader’s participation in the race.

The presidential election in Cote d’Ivoire has two rounds, with the second one being held if neither of the candidates garners 50% plus one vote in the first round. The president is elected for a term of five years.

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