Protesters In Ivory Coast Oppose Leader’s Fourth Term 

Thousands of people took to the streets of the country’s largest city, Abidjan, over the weekend to protest the exclusion of leading opposition figures from Ivory Coast’s October presidential election, as incumbent President Alassane Ouattara said he would seek a fourth term, the Associated Press reported. 

On Saturday, demonstrators protested in Yopougon, a densely populated suburb of the city, carrying banners reading “Enough is enough!” and “No true democracy without true justice.”  

They also voiced support for former President Laurent Gbagbo and Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) leader Tidjane Thiam, who were barred – along with two other opposition figures – from running in the upcoming race. 

Gbagbo and Thiam formed an alliance earlier this year to challenge Ouattara, who has been in power since 2010. 

Ouattara, 83, announced in July that he would seek another term, sparking criticism from opponents who accuse him of undermining democracy.  

Analysts said that Ouattara is able to run because he amended the constitution in 2016 to remove presidential term limits.  

The move makes the West African president the latest among a growing number of regional leaders who remain in power by changing the rules.  

There was no immediate response from Ivorian authorities to Saturday’s protest, but past elections in Ivory Coast have been marred by unrest.  

Ouattara’s bid for a third term in 2020 triggered violence that left several people dead. 

The president cited unprecedented security, economic, and monetary challenges that required experienced leadership as his reason to run again, according to Agence France-Presse. 

Ivory Coast, a top producer of cocoa, is one of the biggest economies in West Africa.  

However, armed groups affiliated with al Qaeda and Islamic State have been spreading from the Sahel region into wealthier West African coastal states, such as Ivory Coast, Togo, and Benin.