From Belgium, where he is awaiting a possible appeal before the International Criminal Court (ICC), after his acquittal of crimes against humanity, Laurent Gbagbo has left his reserve to call for dialogue, while many Ivorians fear news violence around the presidential election of October 31.

"What awaits us is disaster. That's why I'm speaking. So that people know that I do not agree to go hand in hand with the disaster. We must discuss", a he declared.

"Discuss! Negotiate! Talk together! It is always time to do it (...). I am resolutely on the side of the opposition. I say, given my experience, that we must negotiate!", Insisted the former president.

Laurent Gbagbo's candidacy invalidated

Mr. Gbagbo's speech had been awaited for months by his supporters, who hope for his return to Côte d'Ivoire.

He did not speak when his relatives submitted his candidacy for this presidential election, or when this candidacy was invalidated by the Ivorian Constitutional Council.

"Since my arrest on April 11, 2011, I have not spoken, except during the interrogation before the ICC (...). I waited to be in Côte d'Ivoire before speaking (...) , but today I see that the quarrels bring us into an abyss (...). If I remain silent, it would not be responsible, so I decided to speak out "he adds

>> To see: Ivory Coast, the hopes of an election

This Saturday is held in Côte d'Ivoire the first round of the presidential election to designate a successor to Alassane Ouattara, elected in 2010, and candidate for a third term deemed by the opposition "unconstitutional".

The outgoing president finally decided, in August 2010, to run after the death of the successor he had appointed, Amadou Gon Coulibaly.

Alassane Ouattara's candidacy for a contested third term

Ten years after the post-electoral crisis of 2010-2011 which left 3,000 dead, attempts at dialogue between the government and the opposition have remained a dead letter.

The opposition demands the withdrawal of the president's candidacy, as well as a reform of the Independent Electoral Commission and the Constitutional Council, which it considers "subservient" to power. 

Anger, "I understand it and I share it" continues Laurent Gbagbo.

"Why do we want to serve a third term? We have to respect what we write, what we say (...) If we write one thing and do another, we witness what is coming today, "said the 75-year-old former president.

The Ivorian Constitution only authorizes two presidential terms, but, according to Alassane Ouattara, the adoption of a new constitution in 2016 has reset the counter to zero.

An interpretation validated by the Constitutional Council but fiercely contested by the opposition.

With AFP

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