2023 What Major Political Parties Are There In Ivory Coast: Expert Tell You

Historical Overview of Political Parties in Ivory Coast

     After independence in 1960, the first set of political parties emerged in **[Ivory Coast](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast>)**. The **Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire**  (*PDCI*) has been the most influential and oldest party, ruling the country from 1960 to 1999 under **Félix Houphouët-Boigny**. The other major party, the **Ivorian Popular Front** (*FPI*) led by **Laurent Gbagbo** emerged in 1982. Both parties competed **in mostly free and fair elections** until the outbreak of civil conflict in 2002.

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The Dominant Political Parties and Their Ideologies

     The two main political parties in **[Ivory Coast](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory_Coast>)** today are the **PDCI** and the **FPI**.

The PDCI, a center-left party, espouses a social democratic ideology focused on pan-African unity,economic development and national reconciliation. The party draws most of its support from the Akan ethnic group in the south and is currently led by Henri Konan Bédié.

The FPI, a more nationalist and populist party, was initially closer to socialism but has shifted toward center-right in recent years. The FPI appeals mainly to northern ethnic groups and rural poor voters. It is currently chaired by Pascal Affi N’Guessan following the death of Laurent Gbagbo in 2021.

Other notable parties include:

The RHDP (“Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace”), a coalition established in 2005 and currently a dominant party led by the current president Alassane Ouattara.
The UDPCI (“Ivorian Democratic Party”) led by Marie-Lannelongue which draws support from the Bete ethnic group.

Most parties are based on ethnic and regional interests and alliances. Recent efforts to create pan-Ivorian parties have had limited success.

ivory coast, ideology, a close up of a typewriter with a paper that reads feminist — *Photo by* *Markus Winkler* / *Unsplash*

Election Dynamics: How Political Parties Compete in Ivory Coast

     Elections in **Ivory Coast** have historically been competitive but marred by violence and allegations of fraud at times. Since 2000, elections have seen a period of increased tensions:

• The 2000 elections were largely free and fair, but the 2010 elections were marked by violence after Laurent Gbagbo claimed victory despite international observers recognizing Alassane Ouattara as the winner. This led to a civil war and Gbagbo’s arrest.

• The 2015 elections saw Ouattara win re-election, but the opposition boycotted, claiming vote rigging.

• The most recent 2020 elections again saw Ouattara win re-election amid another boycott by the opposition who accused him of breaking constitutional term limits. This led to violent protests that left 85 people dead.

Political parties in Ivory Coast have formed alliances for elections:

• The RHDP rallying around President Alassane Ouattara, mainly consisting of formerly opposing parties.

• The Coalition for Democracy, Peace and Reconciliation, consisting of the opposition PDCI and FPI parties.

Voting patterns show strong ethnic and regional voting, with the PDCI and FPI relying on support from the Akan and northern ethnicities respectively. Younger and more educated urban voters have tended to support President Ouattara.

Electoral reforms and broader political reforms will be needed to improve voter registration, transparent vote-counting and build trust among opposing parties to reduce tensions around elections.

ivory coast, governance, three women sitting beside table — *Photo by* *Tim Gouw* / *Unsplash*

The Role of Political Parties in Ivory Coast’s Governance

   Political parties play an important but complex role in Ivory Coast's governance:

• Lawmaking: As the country’s legislature is dominated by the ruling RHDP party, opposition parties have little influence over legislation. Most laws are proposed by the executive branch.

• Policymaking: Major political parties contribute to policymaking through their representation in government and cabinet positions. However, the dominance of the ruling party limits meaningful participation of opposition parties.

• Oversight: Opposition parties have struggled to hold the government accountable due to their limited power. They have criticized the ruling party for alleged corruption and undemocratic practices.

• Mobilization: Political parties are able to mobilize support among their constituencies and rally voters during elections. However, ethnic polarization has also led parties to mobilize along ethnic lines at times.

• Representation: While political parties aim to represent different sections of society, their ethnic and regional bases of support have hampered their ability to promote national unity and inclusive governance.

• Consensus-building: Efforts at real consensus-building between political parties have been limited and tense due to ethnopolitical divisions and mutual mistrust. International mediation has sometimes been needed.

Overall, while political parties are supposed to play a key role in democratic governance, in Ivory Coast they have struggled due to issues of dominance by the ruling party, ethnic polarization and mutual distrust between parties. Reforms are needed to foster greater power balance, inclusion and consensus-building.

ivory coast, governance, person holding pencil near laptop computer — *Photo by* *Scott Graham* / *Unsplash*

Challenges and Future Prospects for Political Parties in Ivory Coast

     The main challenges facing political parties in **Ivory Coast** include:

• Ethnicization: Parties are largely organized along ethnic lines and mobilize support through ethnic appeals, undermining national unity.

• Elite capture: Political parties are dominated by small, elite groups and have limited grassroots participation and internal democracy.

• Polarization: There is deep mutual distrust and polarization between the ruling RHDP and opposition parties, hindering compromise and consensus.

• Funding issues: Opposition parties struggle with limited funds compared to the ruling party, putting them at a disadvantage.

The prospects for reform and development of political parties include:

• Electoral reforms: Improving the electoral process through independent oversight, voter registration and result transparency could boost parties’ credibility and legitimacy.

• Support for internal democracy: International support for reforming parties’ internal processes to increase grassroots participation and intra-party democracy would strengthen their functioning.

• Consensus-building initiatives: Mediated dialogues and confidence-building measures between parties could help reduce polarization and lay the groundwork for compromise on reforms.

• Focus on national issues: Parties shifting their focus from ethnic appeals to addressing national development priorities like jobs, infrastructure and good governance could help de-escalate ethnic tensions.

• Legal reforms: Changes in political financing laws and oversight could help level the playing field for opposition parties and create space for new ones to emerge.

In summary, while political parties in Ivory Coast face serious challenges, reforms focusing on elections, internal functioning, consensus-building and national issues may help strengthen their roles and contributions.