Côte d'Ivoire: a speech to the nation particularly awaited

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3 min

Côte d'Ivoire awaits the traditional speech to the nation of Alassane Ouattara, on the eve of Independence Day. And a question is on everyone's lips: will the Ivorian president announce his candidacy for the election on October 31?

Publicity

The whole country is suspended for this Thursday night's speech. Obviously, Alassane Ouattara's activists would not only like the president to run for the next presidential election, but also to take advantage of this speech to declare his candidacy.

This Tuesday, the head of state chaired the Council of Ministers, with the new head of government Hamed Bakayoko, just after a mini-reshuffle on Monday. Addressing the team, Alassane Ouattara said: “ It is true that we are in an election year, but that should not entertain us in relation to our objectives.  With a clear desire for continuity, he also encouraged ministers to "  work with the same efficiency  ".

A step in favor of reconciliation

At the same time, the Council announced that December 16 would be a national day of forgiveness and remembrance in memory of December 16, 2010, and of the many victims who occurred during clashes in front of the Ivorian Radio and Television headquarters. This decision suits the Ivorian president, while he has long been criticized for not having done enough in favor of reconciliation.

But for some, there will be no announcement of candidacy before mid-August, when the 40-day Muslim mourning will be over following the death of Amadou Gon Coulibaly, very close to Alassane Ouattara. The latter also told his ministers that the pain was "  still great enough for all  ".

►Also read  : Ivory Coast: the unified RHDP party accuses of defections in its ranks

Demonstrations not far from the Electoral Commission

At the same time, electoral fever is mounting in Côte d'Ivoire. In the sector of Boulevard Latrille, in Cocody, Ivorians have been demonstrating since Thursday morning. They burned tires and put objects on the road. Opposite, the police disperse them with tear gas in particular.

These protesters would be opposed to a new mandate of Alassane Ouattara but also to the absence of Laurent Gbagbo on the electoral lists. The FPI, the party of the former president, claims he was struck off .

All of this takes place right next to the Election Commission. The place was therefore probably not chosen by chance, especially since yesterday and until tomorrow, it is the period of litigation of the electoral lists. Everyone can lodge appeals concerning their content, which will not fail to do the supporters of Laurent Gbagbo, but also of Charles Blé Goudé and Guillaume Soro, because according to their teams, the three men would have lost the right to vote because of their various convictions by the Ivorian courts.

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• Ivory Coast
• Ivory Coast Politics
• Alassane Ouattara

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