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President Alassane Ouattara has officially been named the presidential candidate of the Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) for the upcoming October 2025 election, solidifying his bid for a fourth term in office.
The announcement came during the party’s national congress held at the Port-Bouët Exhibition Centre in Abidjan, where thousands of party delegates and supporters gathered to endorse the 82-year-old incumbent.
Ouattara’s nomination follows widespread calls from within the party’s grassroots base during a recent pre-congress, urging him to remain at the helm in what they describe as a critical moment for the country’s stability and continued development.
“In Ivory Coast, in accordance with the wishes of his base during the pre-congress, the outgoing Ivorian president Alassane Ouattara was designated candidate for the next presidential election in October 2025, during the congress of his party, the Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace, RHDP, at the exhibition center in Port-Bouët in Abidjan,” read the official statement issued at the event.
The endorsement signals a continuity of leadership within the RHDP, which has maintained power since Ouattara first assumed office in 2011.
The president, widely credited with overseeing significant economic growth and infrastructure expansion during his tenure, remains a polarising figure in Ivorian politics, with critics raising concerns over democratic norms and political pluralism.
Ouattara’s candidacy sets the stage for a high-stakes election, as the West African nation navigates complex political dynamics and seeks to avoid a repeat of past electoral unrest.
His nomination is expected to trigger responses from rival parties, many of which have yet to officially announce their candidates.
The 2025 presidential election will be a pivotal moment for Côte d’Ivoire, as voters prepare to determine the country’s future direction in an increasingly volatile regional context.
