Alassane Ouattara, the president of the Ivory Coast, was sworn in for a fourth term on Monday after a low-turnout election that was boycotted by his two main opponents.
Eleven African leaders and foreign dignitaries reportedly attended the ceremony as the 83-year-old governor, who has led the West African nation since 2010, took the oath of office.
Ouattara pledged to uphold the country’s laws in his succinct speech. Shortly after taking the oath of office, he proclaimed, “I vow to loyally defend the constitution.”
The inauguration took place in Yamoussoukro, the capital, about six weeks after Ouattara won a resounding 90% of the vote in the October 25 presidential election, despite only 50.1% of voters casting ballots. This raised concerns about validity and public enthusiasm.
The exclusion of Ouattara’s two most notable opponents, former president Laurent Gbagbo and former CEO of Credit Suisse Tidjane Thiam, has been cited by critics as a serious weakness in the election process.
Thiam was allegedly excluded due to nationality concerns, while Gbagbo was disqualified because of a prior criminal record. At the inauguration, neither was there.
Political tensions in the nation, where disputed elections have historically caused turmoil, have increased as a result of their absence.
The ceremony received significant international attention in spite of the controversy. Former Nigerian President Mahamadou Issoufou and delegates from eleven African countries were present.
Yael Braun-Pivet, the speaker of the National Assembly, represented France, the nation’s close ally and former colonial power. Jacob Helberg, the Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, was sent by the United States to meet with Ouattara later in the day.
According to reports, Ouattara initially took office following a contentious 2010 election that sparked a civil war and claimed thousands of lives. Since then, he has remained firmly in control of the presidency, gaining reelection in 2015 and prolonging his tenure through judicial decisions and constitutional modifications.
Opposition leaders and civil society organizations have criticized his most recent term, the fourth, claiming it threatens regional democratic norms.
The inauguration coincides with concerns about military takeovers, electoral manipulation, and democratic regression in a number of West African countries.
Ouattara’s reelection, according to observers, highlights the region’s democratic institutions’ vulnerability, particularly in the face of controversial circumstances.
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