The Constitutional Council on Monday released the final list of approved candidates for the October 25, 2025 presidential election, confirming five contenders, including two women — an unprecedented configuration in the country’s recent electoral history.
The approved list includes Henriette Lagou Adjoua, president of the Rally for Peace, Progress and Sharing (RPP); Jean Louis Eugène Billon of the Democratic Congress (CODE); Simone Ehivet Gbagbo, president of the Capable Generations Movement (MGC); Ahoua Don Mello, former minister; and incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, running for re-election.
With the presence of Lagou and Simone Gbagbo, the 2025 presidential race marks a significant step forward in female representation at the highest level of Ivorian political life. These two female candidacies represent 25% of the eight applications submitted by women to the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) by the deadline of August 26, 2025.
According to the CEI’s timetable, the electoral campaign will begin on October 10 and end on October 23, 2025 at midnight. The first round of voting is scheduled for Saturday, October 25.