The choice, which can’t be challenged, may finish Tidjane Thiam’s hopes of operating for president [Getty Images]
Ivory Coast’s foremost opposition chief has been faraway from the electoral roll by the judiciary which says he’s ineligible to run in October’s presidential election.
Tidjane Thiam renounced his French citizenship so as to run for president, however a court docket argued on Thursday that the previous Credit score Suisse boss forfeited his Ivory Coast nationality when he acquired French citizenship in 1987.
Thiam mentioned the court docket’s choice was an “act of democratic vandalism, which is able to disenfranchise thousands and thousands of voters”.
His disqualification comes only a week after he was confirmed as the presidential candidate of the centre-right Democratic Get together – the PDCI.
The governing RHDP social gathering has not but introduced its candidate, however the present president, 83-year-old Alassane Ouattara, is more likely to run for what can be a fourth time period in workplace.
Three different outstanding figures, together with former President Laurent Gbagbo, have been barred from operating.
Reacting to the ruling, Thiam mentioned: “It is no shock that this court docket ruling comes as our help amongst voters continues to develop.
“After 15 years in energy, RHDP leaders are operating scared. They wish to monopolise energy somewhat than face the judgement of the citizens.”
After changing into the primary Ivorian to cross the doorway examination to France’s prestigious Polytechnique engineering college, he returned to Ivory Coast and took up politics.
In 1998, aged 36, he grew to become planning minister earlier than the PDCI was ousted from energy in a coup the next yr.
He then moved overseas and pursued a largely profitable enterprise profession.
Thiam has held senior positions in main worldwide companies like Aviva, Prudential and Credit score Suisse. He quit from the latter in 2020 following a spying scandal though he has been cleared of any involvement.
Extra BBC tales about Ivory Coast:
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