Ivory Coast's Ouattara Reelected Amid Low Turnout and Controversies

Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara was reelected for a fourth term, securing 89.7% of votes amid low turnout and an opposition weakened by major candidates' exclusion. Since 2011, Ouattara has been credited with economic recovery, but critics cite democratic decline and constitutional engineering as concerns.

Ivory Coast's President Alassane Ouattara has been re-elected to a fourth term, based on provisional results disclosed on Monday. His electoral victory came amid low voter turnout and noticeable quiet on the streets of Abidjan, the country's economic hub. Ouattara, 83, first assumed leadership of the West African nation in 2011 and secured 89.7% of the vote in the recent elections, according to Electoral Commission head Ibrahime Kuibiert Coulibaly. Jean-Louis Billon, a former commerce minister, trailed significantly with 3% of the vote, followed by former first lady Simone Gbagbo with 2.4%.

Despite the absence of major opposition candidates like Tidjane Thiam and Laurent Gbagbo, Ouattara's influence over state institutions helped him clinch victory, analysts say. Mucahid Durmaz from Verisk Maplecroft noted that Ouattara's principal competitors were sidelined, facilitating his electoral success. Ouattara's political narrative has been marked by efforts in rebuilding the nation post-civil war and assertions of constitutional resets to extend his tenure. Such maneuvers, critics argue, indicate a trend of constitutional manipulation in West Africa.

Ouattara's reign coincides with a broader trend of older African leaders retaining power, despite their nations' significantly younger demographics. Following his governance, Ivory Coast has seen economic resurgence marked by a 6% annual growth, buoyed by a thriving cocoa industry. However, challenges persist with over a third of the population in poverty and rising youth unemployment. Regional tensions also surface, as Ouattara's alleged affiliations with France have strained relations with Sahelian countries ruled by juntas.

(With inputs from agencies.)