Keypoints:
- African Court dismisses their petitions
- Bans deemed justified; procedural failings cited
- Tensions heighten ahead of October election
THE African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Arusha, Tanzania, has dismissed petitions by former Côte d’Ivoire president Laurent Gbagbo and ex-prime minister Guillaume Soro, reinforcing bans that prevent them from contesting the October 25, 2025 presidential election.
In a ruling issued on Thursday, June 26, 2025, the court concluded that both politicians’ appeals lacked merit—either in substance or procedure—dashing hopes of a legal path back to the ballot. Analysts warn the decision could deepen political unrest in the nation.
Claims dismissed for lack of evidence and procedural failure
Gbagbo, aged 80, argued his exclusion violated political rights under Ivorian law. However, according to the court, he failed to present evidence showing discriminatory treatment compared to other citizens, so his appeal was ruled inadmissible.
Soro, 53, was blocked on procedural grounds: he had not pursued all available legal remedies within Côte d’Ivoire before appealing to the continental court. His case was therefore declared inadmissible.
History of exclusion and legal battles
Gbagbo’s tenure (2000–2011) ended violently after a disputed election that led to a decade-old civil war and his eventual surrender. Although he was cleared of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, a domestic conviction prevents his return to office.
Soro, once a rebel leader turned prime minister, was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment in 2021 for plotting a coup. He now lives in exile in Niger, effectively shutting off any realistic route to candidacy.
Opposition sidelines provoke election anxiety
The bans are part of a wider pattern excluding prominent opposition figures—Tidjane Thiam, leader of the PDCI party, is also barred. With less than four months to go before the vote, critics argue that sidelining opposition heavyweights damages the credibility of the electoral process and could provoke public unrest.
This development follows President Alassane Ouattara’s administration withdrawing from the African Court’s jurisdiction in April 2020—shortly after the court issued provisional orders allowing Gbagbo and Soro to stand in the last election. That withdrawal now limits judicial challenges at a continental level.
Court faces limits amid rising tensions
The African Court, founded in 1998 by the AU and operative since 2004, aims to protect human rights across member states. However, only eight of Africa’s 34 ratifying states allow individuals and NGOs to petition it directly—a status Cote d’Ivoire revoked five years ago, diminishing the court’s influence.
Next: political fallout and voter reaction
With both Gbagbo and Soro unable to contest, Côte d’Ivoire’s October vote looms as a high-stakes contest without its most polarising figures. Political analysts warn voter disillusionment may intensify, potentially prompting protests or boycotts. President Ouattara’s camp faces international scrutiny over whether the upcoming poll can reflect genuine democratic choice—or will be marred by systemic exclusion.
As the election nears, all eyes turn to the domestic judiciary and electoral body: will additional challengers emerge? Or will the campaign proceed under the shadow of controversy, with the African Court’s ruling seen as the final legal obstacle for their return?
The African Court’s decision effectively ends all legal avenues for Gbagbo and Soro, but the political and social reverberations are likely just beginning.
