Simone Gbagbo declares presidential bid for 2025 election
- Simone Gbagbo announced her candidacy for the 2025 presidential election during her party's first convention.
- She aims to build a transformed and prosperous Ivory Coast and emphasizes the potential of all Ivorians.
- Her candidacy adds excitement to a competitive election landscape, which includes former Prime Minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan.
In Ivory Coast, Simone Gbagbo, the former first lady and ex-wife of former president Laurent Gbagbo, recently declared her intention to run for the presidency in the upcoming 2025 elections. At a political movement convention held in Moossou, near Abidjan, Gbagbo emphasized her vision for a renewed and prosperous Ivory Coast. She expressed her belief in the capacity of all Ivorians to overcome challenges and work toward national unity and progress. Gbagbo’s candidacy comes after her husband was acquitted of crimes against humanity in 2019, following a tumultuous political landscape marked by violence from their overlapping political history. The couple's strained relationship and eventual divorce in 2023 have positioned Simone to take center stage as she represents the Movement of the Capable Generations against her former rival, current President Alassane Ouattara. With other candidates like Pascal Affi N’Guessan and Jean-Louis Billon also in the race, the upcoming election is expected to be highly competitive. The backdrop of Gbagbo's announcement resonates with historical tensions in the country, especially given the violent electoral crisis that left thousands dead and was partly shaped by her ex-husband's refusal to concede defeat in the 2010 election. With her bold plans to transform the nation, Simone Gbagbo’s campaign marks a significant moment in Ivorian politics, highlighting the contrasts between her vision and the incumbent's achievements as she vies for the electorate's trust and support to shape a new future for the nation.