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Presidential election in Côte d'Ivoire: 44 candidatures transmitted to the Constitutional Council

2020-09-03T20:06:11.185Z


The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) of Côte d'Ivoire announced that it had received 44 candidate files for the October 31 presidential election and transmitted them to the Constitutional Council on Thursday, the CEI announced in a statement. " In total, the CEI received 44 candidacy files (...) and transmitted this Thursday, 44 files to the Constitutional Council, judge of the eligibility o


The Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) of Côte d'Ivoire announced that it had received 44 candidate files for the October 31 presidential election and transmitted them to the Constitutional Council on Thursday, the CEI announced in a statement.

"

In total, the CEI received 44 candidacy files (...) and transmitted this Thursday, 44 files to the Constitutional Council, judge of the eligibility of candidates for the election of the president

", according to the text.

Read also: Presidential in Côte d'Ivoire: the candidacy of Alassane Ouattara "not necessary", according to the church

The Constitutional Council now has 15 days to disclose the list of validated candidates but can do so before.

From a source close to the CEI, less than ten candidates should be declared eligible.

Among the files that should be invalidated are a number of wacky candidates but especially those of two heavyweights, ex-President Laurent Gbagbo and former rebel leader and Prime Minister Guillaume Soro.

They are expected to be declared ineligible due to convictions that have already led to their removal from the electoral roll in August.

Mr. Gbagbo, 75, who has never spoken publicly on a possible candidacy, is on parole in Belgium, awaiting a possible appeal before the International Criminal Court (ICC) which acquitted at first instance of the charge of crimes against humanity.

But he is under a sentence in 2018 to 20 years in prison by the Ivorian justice for the case known as the “

BCEAO robbery

” (Central Bank of West African States), during the 2010-2011 crisis.

This crisis, which opened after Mr. Gbagbo's refusal to admit his defeat to the current president, Alassane Ouattara, left 3,000 dead.

Mr. Soro, 48, who lives in France, was sentenced in Côte d'Ivoire in April 2020 to 20 years in prison for "

concealment of embezzlement of public funds

".

"

The Constitutional Council will have a heavy responsibility before the Ivorian people and history

" to rule on eligibility, had launched Georges-Armand Ouegnin, president of the platform which submitted the candidacy of Mr. Gbagbo.

He will also have to rule on that of Mr. Ouattara, 78, who is seeking a controversial third term.

Like the previous one, the 2016 Constitution limits presidential terms to two.

Supporters of Mr. Ouattara claim that the change of the Constitution has reset the counter to zero, his opponents deem unconstitutional a third candidacy.

The announcement of this candidacy sparked demonstrations which degenerated into violence which left some fifteen dead in August.

Mr. Ouattara, who is visiting France, was due to meet President Emmanuel Macron on Friday.

Many observers fear violence ten years after the post-election crisis.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2020-09-03

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