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| 2010 Ivorian presidential election | |
|---|---|
| Election name | 2010 Ivorian presidential election |
| Country | Ivory Coast |
| Type | Presidential |
| Previous election | 2000 Ivorian presidential election |
| Previous year | 2000 |
| Next election | 2015 Ivorian presidential election |
| Next year | 2015 |
| Election date | 31 October 2010 (first round); 28 November 2010 (runoff) |
2010 Ivorian presidential election was a two-round presidential contest held in Ivory Coast with a first round on 31 October 2010 and a runoff on 28 November 2010, featuring candidates from competing factions of the country divided since the Ivorian Civil War and the First Ivorian Civil War. The election followed the 2007 Ouagadougou Political Agreement and the 2002–2003 north–south split, and it set the stage for a post-electoral crisis that involved the National Assembly (Ivory Coast), the International Criminal Court, and regional actors such as the Economic Community of West African States.
The contest occurred after the 2002 rebellion that led to the partition of Yamoussoukro and Abidjan between forces loyal to incumbent Laurent Gbagbo and the northern New Forces (Forces Nouvelles), led politically by figures associated with Alassane Ouattara. Following mediation by Blaise Compaoré and the signing of the Marcoussis Accords, the United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire and the African Union were involved in organizing a delayed electoral timetable, while institutions such as the Independent Electoral Commission (Côte d'Ivoire) and the Supreme Court of Ivory Coast became focal points for disputes over voter registration and candidacy eligibility tied to the 2000 nationality provisions and the controversial concept of "ivoirité". Regional capitals including Accra, Paris, and Abidjan hosted diplomatic engagements by actors such as Nicolas Sarkozy, Kofi Annan, and representatives of the United Nations Security Council to secure a credible vote.
The main contenders were incumbent Laurent Gbagbo of the Ivorian Popular Front and challenger Alassane Ouattara of the Rally of the Republicans (Ivory Coast), with other notable candidates including Henri Konan Bédié of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire – African Democratic Rally, Guillaume Soro of the Movement of the Forces of the Future, and Pascal Affi N'Guessan also of the Ivorian Popular Front factional politics. Campaign rallies in Bouaké, Korhogo, Daloa, and San Pedro featured endorsements and appearances by regional figures linked to ECOWAS mediation teams, while international observers from the European Union, the African Union, and the United Nations monitored campaign financing, media access disputes involving Radiodiffusion Television Ivoirienne, and security arrangements coordinated with French Forces in Côte d'Ivoire and UNOCI contingents.
On election days in 2010, polling took place amid deployments of UNOCI peacekeepers and gendarmes associated with the Forces républicaines de Côte d'Ivoire, and observers from the European Union Election Observation Mission and the National Democratic Institute. Reports emerged alleging irregularities such as ballot counting discrepancies in precincts in Yopougon, Marcory, Gbêkê, and parts of Abobo, and litigations over voter lists were lodged with the Constitutional Council (Ivory Coast) and international bodies including the United Nations Security Council. Media outlets like Le Monde and BBC News covered incidences of suspended transmissions, contested polling station protocols, and clashes between supporters of Gbagbo and Ouattara in urban centers and rural departments, prompting statements from diplomats including envoys from France, United States, and Nigeria.
The Independent Electoral Commission announced provisional first-round tallies that necessitated a runoff between Gbagbo and Ouattara, with subsequent provisional runoff results triggering rival proclamations by the Constitutional Council and the IEC. The Council, led by judges appointed during the Gbagbo era, invalidated votes in several northern regions while the IEC and international observers recognized tallies favoring Ouattara, producing competing declarations and an immediate political stalemate in Abidjan and the administrative capital Yamoussoukro. Mass demonstrations occurred around the Presidential Palace (Côte d'Ivoire), and key institutions such as the Central Bank of West African States and the International Monetary Fund responded to the instability with warnings and operational adjustments.
The dispute escalated into a constitutional and humanitarian crisis drawing condemnation from the United Nations Security Council, European Union, African Union, and ECOWAS, and sanctions and asset freezes were considered by entities including the United States Department of the Treasury and national governments such as France and Canada. Military confrontations and militia mobilizations led to civilian casualties in neighborhoods like Treichville and Yopougon, prompting humanitarian appeals coordinated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and responses by regional leaders including John Atta Mills and Goodluck Jonathan who mediated through ECOWAS mechanisms. The International Criminal Court issued statements concerning alleged crimes against humanity as post-election violence unfolded, and diplomatic pressure, economic sanctions, and arms embargo considerations were deployed to restore constitutional order.
The crisis culminated in military intervention by forces loyal to Alassane Ouattara with support from UNOCI and French forces, leading to the capture of Laurent Gbagbo in April 2011, subsequent legal proceedings in The Hague before the International Criminal Court, and the inauguration of Alassane Ouattara as president. The aftermath prompted reforms in electoral administration, influenced the 2015 presidential cycle, and affected regional mediation practices involving ECOWAS, the African Union, and the United Nations; it also impacted bilateral relations with France, United States, and China. Long-term effects included debates over national reconciliation initiatives, adjustments to the Constitution of Ivory Coast, and the role of international peace operations such as UNOCI in enforcing electoral outcomes, shaping West African approaches to contested transitions.
Category:Politics of Ivory Coast Category:Elections in Ivory Coast