Thiam’s name is removed from the electoral roll by an Ivory Coast court due to his French nationality

Tidjane Thiam, the former CEO of Credit Suisse and an opposition leader, was declared to be removed off the electoral roll by an Ivory Coast court on Tuesday due to his French nationality at the time of his registration, according to his attorney.

The ruling, which is final and cannot be challenged, may put a stop to Thiam’s plan to run for president in October of the world’s leading cocoa-producing country.

“Given his French nationality and in accordance with Article 48 of the Ivorian Nationality Code, he was no longer Ivorian at the time he registered on the electoral roll,” his attorney told Reuters.

Following the ruling, Thiam stated in a statement that he is now urging political leaders from all parties to hold negotiations in order to end the impasse.

“Ivorians expect the judicial system to guarantee peaceful, transparent and credible elections, not to serve as an instrument for a regime seeking to hoard power and silence its critics,” he stated.

“Under the pretense of due process, the ruling party has utilized the legal system to destroy its most formidable opponent. Without a doubt, this judgment is an act of democratic vandalism that will deny millions of voters their right to vote,” he stated.

Thiam is a strong contender for the presidency after winning the leadership of PDCI, one of the major opposition parties in the nation, in 2023.

In February, he declared his intention to run for office and relinquished his French citizenship to fulfill the election’s eligibility requirements. Candidates must be Ivorian nationals and cannot be citizens of any other country, according to Ivory Coast law.

Thiam was divested of his French citizenship last month, according to a ruling that was published in the country’s official journal.