Tidjane Thiam disqualified from Côte d’Ivoire’s presidential bid

Key Points

• Côte d’Ivoire’s top court ruled Tidjane Thiam ineligible to run for president, citing loss of Ivorian nationality in 1987.
• Thiam calls court ruling “democratic vandalism” as his campaign faces major setback just six months before the election.
• Backed by major opposition groups, Thiam vows to stay in the race, calling the court’s move “democratic vandalism.”

Less than a week after former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam was named the presidential candidate for Côte d’Ivoire’s main opposition party, his bid has hit a major roadblock.

A court in Abidjan has ruled him ineligible to run, saying he was removed from the electoral list after losing his Ivorian nationality when he became a French citizen in 1987.

The decision has thrown Thiam’s campaign into uncertainty. Speaking by phone, one of his advisers, Alexis N’Guessan, said they were still trying to make sense of the court’s ruling. “We’re waiting for the official decision to understand the court’s reasoning,” he said. 

Under Ivorian law, candidates must be listed on the national voters’ register to be eligible. With the election just six months away, the ruling comes as a serious blow for Thiam and his supporters.

Ivorian court ruling sparks outcry

Thiam’s eligibility had been a point of contention due to his dual French-Ivorian nationality. In response, he renounced his French citizenship earlier this year, believing it would clear the path for his presidential ambitions.

Last week, Thiam ran unopposed to become the candidate for the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI). The party’s endorsement followed a wave of support from more than a dozen opposition groups, who rallied together to form the Coalition for Peaceful Change in Côte d’Ivoire, with Thiam as its leader.

In reaction to the court’s ruling, Thiam described the decision as “an act of democratic vandalism” in an emailed statement. “Ivorians expect the judicial system to ensure peaceful, transparent, and credible elections, not to be used as a tool for a regime seeking to hold onto power and silence its critics,” he said.

The court’s ruling comes as Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, 83, prepares to seek a fourth term in office in the October elections. Two spokesmen for Ouattara’s party, the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace, did not respond to requests for comment.

Thiam, undeterred by the setback, reaffirmed his determination to run. “The PDCI is united behind me,” Thiam said. “There will be no plan B.”

Tidjane Thiam: Banking leader and global visionary

Thiam has an extensive background in global finance, having served as the CEO of Swiss bank Credit Suisse from 2015 to 2020. Before that, he was the CFO and later the CEO of British banking group Prudential. He also worked for McKinsey & Company.

Thiam has been recognized for his contributions to international business, including being awarded the Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur by the French government in 2011. In April 2020, he was appointed as an African Union Special Envoy for COVID-19.

Born into a prominent political family in Côte d’Ivoire, Thiam has long been involved in the country’s public life, including serving as the chief executive of the National Bureau for Technical Studies from 1994 to 1999. He is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s International Business Council.