Ivory Coast Legislative Elections Underway Amid Ongoing Political Divisions. Abidjan, Ivory Coast — 2025-12-27 Lead Paragraph: The counting of votes is in progress in Ivory Coast following legislative elections, which are crucial for selecting the country’s 255 National Assembly members. These elections, held just two months after President Alassane Ouattara’s landslide re-election, are marked by significant political divisions and lingering tensions from the presidential poll.
The legislative elections are a critical component of Ivory Coast’s political landscape, coming as they do after President Ouattara’s second term victory, which was met with opposition criticism over the exclusion of key figures from the presidential race.
The African Peoples’ Party (PPA-CI), aligned with former president Laurent Gbagbo, boycotted the legislative vote, contending that the conditions were not conducive for a credible and inclusive election. Over 2,700 candidates, including nearly 800 independents, participated in the polls.
President Ouattara’s Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) is seen as the front-runner, benefiting from its strong presence in the outgoing National Assembly and its candidates in all constituencies nationwide.
Civil society groups are viewing the election results as a key indicator of the country’s political equilibrium. Koné Mamadou, chairman of the NGO Action Justice, noted that the vote is a test of the ruling party and the opposition’s genuine national support.
Attention is also on the emergence of ADCI, a party founded in June 2024.
ADCI is aiming to establish itself as an alternative bloc, having fielded 45 candidates, many of them young.
The party hopes to secure enough seats to form a parliamentary group and influence debates in the next assembly.
Final results are anticipated between 28 December and 30 December 2025.
The outcome of these legislative elections will be closely watched, not only for its implications on Ivory Coast’s political balance but also for the potential emergence of a new political force.
