Legislative in Côte d'Ivoire: rising tension between political parties
Members of the Ivorian CEI count the results of the legislative elections after the closing of the polling stations in Abidjan on March 6, 2021. AFP - ISSOUF SANOGO
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
Since Sunday morning, the Electoral Commission began its proclamation of the results.
And while the latter are not yet all known, the political parties say they are sure of their victory and the tension has risen a notch in the staffs.
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With our special envoys in Abidjan,
Paulina Zidi and Dominique Fiant
The Electoral Commission had just
announced the results
of two constituencies, out of the 204 to be filled, that the PDCI, the opposition party of former President Bédié, was already claiming its victory.
“
We know that this country is in the middle of a mess and quite naturally we expected a victory.
And therefore, we are entitled to claim victory.
We are warning the government against its attempts to manipulate which distort the sincerity of the ballot and lead to violence against which we have campaigned, we the opposition,
”warns the spokesperson for the PDCI, Niamké Koffi.
A few hours later, the response was not long in coming from the ruling RHDP.
"
The PDCI is its logic of the loser,
" believes the number two in President Ouattara's party, Adama Bictogo.
"
How do you expect us to be able to speak when there have been ministers who have lost?"
In fact, we could have protected these ministers.
Finally, let's be serious, it is still necessary that once this stops and they accept that they have been beaten and that they do not live up to the expectations of the Ivorians.
"
A rise in tension between the two major political forces feared by observers who called on the parties to wait for the official results and not to stir up trouble with untimely statements.
■
The concern of the Indigo initiative
Among the main observation missions to have followed these legislative elections, the Indigo initiative delivered its conclusions yesterday on the holding of these elections.
The NGO had deployed 500 people in 1,429 polling stations.
Overall, the ballot went well, but 190 incidents were recorded, ranging from ballot box theft to biometric tablet failures in polling stations.
Above all, among its recommendations, Indigo is concerned about the statements of candidates and political parties before the proclamation of the results by the CEI, which is a violation of the texts and the spirit of the electoral campaign.
Arsène Konan, coordinator of Indigo Côte d'Ivoire programs
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