Fifteen opposition parties in Ivory Coast have formed a new coalition ahead of the October 25, 2025, presidential election. The alliance, named the Coalition for a Peaceful Transition – Cap Ivory Coast, includes major political groups such as the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI), the Movement for Capable Generations (MGC) led by former First Lady Simone Ehivet-Gbagbo, and Charles Blé Goudé’s Cojep. However, the party of former President Laurent Gbagbo, the PPA-CI, is not part of the coalition.
Electoral Reforms at the Core of Their Demands
The coalition’s primary goal is to push for key electoral reforms, including a revision of the voter list, transparency in vote counting through polling station-level results, and an independent audit of the electoral register.
“Our fight is to ensure credible, transparent, and violence-free elections,” stated Dominique Traoré, vice president of the MGC. However, one key question remains—will the coalition put forward a single candidate for the presidency? “The participation strategy will be discussed within the platform,” said PDCI spokesperson Soumaïla Bredoumy.
A Divided Opposition and Its Impact on Power Dynamics
Notably absent from this coalition is the PPA-CI, which, according to its executive president Sébastien Djédjé Dano, is focused on former President Laurent Gbagbo’s call for opposition unity, made in July 2024.
Political analyst Geoffroy Julien Kouao suggests that the opposition’s fragmentation could shape the election into a three-way contest: the ruling RHDP, the PPA-CI, and the new coalition led by the PDCI-RDA. While some see division as a weakness, Kouao argues that in a potential second round, this three-way race could pose a challenge to the ruling party.