Ivory Coast presidential election: Ivorians head to the polls

Saturday 25 October 2025 - 09:30

By: Sahili Aya

Ivory Coast presidential election: Ivorians head to the polls

Ivorians began voting on Saturday, October 25, 2025, to elect their next president in a key election seen as a test of stability for the West African nation. Nearly nine million voters are expected to cast their ballots across the country before polls close at 6:00 p.m. local time (GMT).

Incumbent president Alassane Ouattara, in power since 2011, is widely regarded as the front-runner, facing limited opposition after years of political and economic transformation under his leadership.

At several polling stations in Abidjan, the economic capital, voters turned out early to avoid long queues later in the day.

“I came to vote early so I can travel to my village afterward,” said Olivier Blo, one of the first voters in the Yopougon district.

Observers from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are monitoring the vote to ensure transparency and fairness.

This election comes amid calls for national unity and inclusive governance, as the country continues to heal from the post-electoral crisis that followed the 2010 presidential race.

Preliminary results are expected within the coming days, according to the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI).