What future for the PDCI-RDA after the radiation of Tidjane Thiam? | EUROtoday

Un “hybrid regime oscillating between authoritarianism and democracy”, reported in mid-April the Bloomfield Investment company in its evaluation of the dangers regarding Côte d’Ivoire. Some would see on this current warning a hyperlink with the radiation of Tidjane Thiam on the electoral checklist. Since the announcement of the decision this Tuesday, April 22, the feedback of sure members of the opposition, residents or Internet customers have shot on this route, denouncing a political choice. In query, the authorized ban on the designated candidate of the PDCI-RDA-last opponent in view-less than six months earlier than the presidential election.

If this blow of the therapeutic massage smoothes the Ivorian political panorama just a little extra, the chance has been hovering over the ex-financially for a lot of weeks. The judicial choice – free from any recourse – deprives the previous single occasion of the narrative constructed, as greatest they might, across the determine of Thiam. The Ivorian political husband is right here trustworthy to the custom of his dramatic blows, and one wonders what’s going to in the end be the technique adopted by the PDCI-RDA. Just a few days after the sentence, the temper stays in assist of this freshly aborted candidacy.

An implacable courtroom choice

His French nationality could have been proper. The rising uncertainty concerning the eligibility of Tidjane Thiam promised a end result to judicial accents. And it was in the end the courtroom of first occasion of the Abidjan plateau which determined on the finish of an accelerated process. This is a part of the litigation interval within the electoral checklist, in anticipation of the October presidential election. Figure there constitutes a obligatory prerequisite for any citizen wishing to be a candidate.

If the electoral fee (CEI) successfully recognized Tidjane Thiam when the provisional checklist was printed, a grievance aimed toward its radiation had opened the litigation ball. Reason invoked: Mr. Thiam would have misplaced his Ivorian nationality on the time of his allegiance to French nationality in 1987, when he was 25 years previous. The candidates superior article 48 of the nationality code, which supplies that: “loses Ivorian nationality, the major Ivorian who voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality, or who declares to recognize such nationality. Entry, the CEI had first rejected the said request on April 15, considering the elements provided by Tidjane Thiam as correct. The role of the Commission is not to judge the validity of the nationality certificate – dated June 2020 and established in Abidjan – deposited by the person concerned.

However, as allowed by the terms of revising the electoral list, several applicants decided to challenge this rejection of the CEI. Bearing the case to the competent court in this. The defense has tried to plead the transmission by filiation of French nationality by the father of the interested party, Amadou Thiam. But the documents brought to the file did not know how to convince justice, which considered that the president of the PDCI became French of his own free will in 1987, as established by the official newspaper of the time. Under article 48, his 2020 certificate of nationality was thus considered obsolete at the time of his deposit, acting his radiation from the electoral list. Would Tidjane Thiam be stateless? No, replies justice, which affirms that the latter was reinstated to the national community on March 19. Date on which France ratified the abandonment of Thiam’s nationality.

The RHDP is placed as an observer

On the strictly legal level, such a decision remains founded. But, was it wise to rule out this candidate who was-a few days ago-considered as a credible opponent? This is the question that part of the opposition to justice today formulates, and by extension to the Alassane Ouattara camp, which she considers to be at the origin of this maneuver. Faced with criticism, the RHDP presidential party remains impassive and claims to respect the decisions pronounced by independent justice. “These are fallacious accusations to justify their future failure […] They wish to hide their imparation and their absence from the field, ”feedback considerably scathing, Mamadou Touré, Minister of Youth and Deputy Spokesperson for the RHDP.

Contacted by the writing of the Africa level, Mr. Touré-anxious to not touch upon the decision-returns the PDCI-RDA again to the wall. He refers back to the Senegalese presidential election of 2024, when Ousmane Sonko had, to bypass his personal ineligibility, made his trustworthy Bassirou Diomaye Faye candidate. To observe the reasoning of the deputy spokesman, he would now solely maintain on the PDCI-RDA to resolve himself by mobilizing a plan B. Because because it stands, the presidential occasion advances with out actual rival in the direction of the October due date. The RHDP, which can maintain its political congress in June, shouldn’t have any doubt concerning the identify of Alassane Ouattara to compete within the election. At least that’s what Minister Mamadou Touré clashes.

When the PDCI-RDA is one behind his candidate

Among the sympathizers of the PDCI-RDA, some may be tempted to blame Tidjane Thiam himself. Brushing the supreme function is not easy, a fortiori in Côte d’Ivoire where the question of nationality remains an important political spring. Returning in 2022 with the firm intention of playing a political role, Thiam only filed his request for the liberation of French nationality in February 2025. However, his party continues to appear in fervent defender of his candidacy. By the voice of his lawyers and several caciques gathered in Abidjan this Monday, April 28, the party hammered the following message: “There will probably be no plan B, nor a plan C!” »»

To uncover



The kangaroo of the day

Answer

By reiterating unwavering assist in the direction of his designated candidate, the PDCI-RDA follows swimsuit to Tidjane Thiam who, within the wake of the decision, stated he continued the struggle to introduce himself. From Paris, the previous boss of Credit Suisse is at present making an attempt to play the media card. But its extended absence from Côte d’Ivoire for a number of weeks appears to restrict the mobilization capability of activists. Following his withdrawal from the CEI, the previous single occasion in all probability goes to a boycott logic. During the press convention on Monday, his camp has repeatedly denounced a “judicial robbery”. “He is French by his father and Ivorian by his mother; It is therefore binational. And binationality is not affected by article 48, ”insisted Me Luc Adjé. The protection of the PDCI-RDA consists in saying that Tidjane Thiam has been French by parentage since his start, with out having instantly requested it, therefore his late naturalization. A state of affairs definitely ambiguous, however shared by 1000’s of different residents of Côte d’Ivoire.

In the approaching days, Mr. Thiam’s camp may make the choice earlier than the Court of Cassation with the intention to assert his plea. Until then, it’s primarily the stability of energy and the alliance video games that will probably be prone to change the state of affairs a couple of months from the deadline. In parallel, Laurent Gbagbo and his occasion The PPA CI firmly denounced the radiation of the opponent. Although in the end, the previous Ivorian president (2000-2011) represents a big electoral reservoir and continues to weigh in public debate.