The current President of Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara, aged 83, has officially announced his intention to run for a fourth term in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 25, 2025.
Ouattara who was re-elected for a contested third term in 2020 had previously said he would like to step down.
But in a brief statement on his social media handle X formerly Twitter, he justified why he decided to go back on his earlier promise not to seek another term, saying, “Duty sometimes transcends a promise that was made in good faith. This is why after thoughtful consideration, and in all conscience, I’m announcing today that I’ve decided to be a candidate in the presidential election of 25 October 2025,” Ouattara said.
Déclaration du Président de la République, @AOuattara_PRCI, ce mardi 29 juillet 2025. pic.twitter.com/dMpi0MR1Dz
— Alassane Ouattara (@AOuattara_PRCI) July 29, 2025
Ouattara emphasised that his candidacy is driven by a need to “preserve national stability amid ongoing security and economic challenges.”
“I am running for office because our country is facing unprecedented security, economic, and monetary challenges that require experience to manage,” he said
Ouattara’s decision follows a controversial constitutional amendment in 2020, which allowed him to bypass previous term limits. As the election date draws near, we wait to see whether any significant challengers will emerge to contest his candidacy.
