Ivory Coast Dissolves Electoral Commission Amid Long-Running Disputes

Mintesinot Niggusie

Ivory Coast’s government has dissolved the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI), a body that has overseen elections since the end of military rule, following sustained criticism of its independence and handling of recent polls, government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly said on Wednesday.

Coulibaly said the decision was approved after repeated disputes over the commission’s role, adding that it was intended to pave the way for a new election management structure and restore public confidence in the electoral process. He said the aim is to ensure “peaceful polls”.

He told a news conference after a cabinet meeting that discussions within the government would determine what institution will replace the CEI. The commission, created in October 2001, has been at the centre of nearly every major electoral dispute in the country, including the contested 2010 presidential election, which triggered months of deadly violence.

Opposition parties have long accused the CEI of lacking independence, arguing that its membership is too closely aligned with the ruling coalition. The government has previously rejected those allegations.

The decision comes less than a year after Ivory Coast’s most recent presidential election in October 2025, in which President Alassane Ouattara secured a fourth term with nearly 90 percent of the vote.

That election was marked by controversy after several prominent opposition figures were barred from running, drawing criticism from opposition groups and civil society organisations over the inclusiveness of the process.