Ivorian opposition calls for national dialogue on electoral reform

Opposition parties and political groups in Côte d’Ivoire have formally requested a national dialogue with the government to reach a consensus on the rules for upcoming elections. The groups are seeking guarantees regarding the independence, transparency, and reliability of the electoral process, specifically focusing on the reform of the body intended to replace the former Independent Electoral Commission (CEI).

A joint declaration was issued by several opposition leaders, including representatives from the PDCI-RDA, Simone Gbagbo, Pascal Affi N’Guessan, and Charles Blé Goudé. The signatories have submitted a formal request to the Prime Minister's office to initiate discussions under his leadership to ensure election results accurately reflect voter intent.

In response, government spokesperson Amadou Coulibaly stated that the government is currently analyzing recommendations sent to the Ministry of the Interior by various political groups. He indicated that once these recommendations are processed and points of convergence are identified, the proposal will be sent to the National Assembly for study, rather than through a formal national dialogue.