Ivorians head to the polls as divisions from Presidential vote linger.

Ivorians went to the polls on 27 December 2025 to elect members of the National Assembly in a legislative vote shaped by lingering political divisions from the country’s recent presidential election. The parliamentary contest comes just weeks after President Alassane Ouattara’s re-election, a result that was strongly disputed by sections of the opposition who accused authorities of sidelining key challengers ahead of the October presidential vote. Those tensions carried into the legislative elections, with the African Peoples’ Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI) linked to former president Laurent Gbagbo boycotting the polls in protest over what it described as an unfair process.

Despite the boycott, more than 2,700 candidates, including hundreds of independents, contested seats across the country, highlighting both political engagement and fragmentation within the system. The ruling Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP), which fielded candidates nationwide, is widely expected to retain a strong majority in the new assembly, consolidating its dominance of the political landscape. Civil society groups say the elections remain a key test of democratic resilience and public trust, particularly at a time when calls for political inclusion and national unity remain strong.

With an estimated 8.7 million registered voters, the outcome of the legislative vote is expected to shape Ivory Coast’s governance direction as the country seeks to navigate post-election divisions and restore confidence in its democratic institutions.