• Tidjane Thiam removed from electoral roll in Ivory Coast ahead of presidential election.
• The court ruled he lost Ivorian nationality after acquiring French citizenship in 1987.
• Thiam's team argues the ruling is politically motivated to block his candidacy.
• Other opposition leaders have also been barred from the election due to legal issues.
• Thiam vows to continue his presidential ambitions despite the ruling.

Tidjane Thiam, leader of the Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI), has been removed from the electoral roll by a court ruling that declares him ineligible to participate in the presidential election scheduled for October 25. The court held that Thiam forfeited his Ivorian nationality when he acquired French citizenship in 1987, a decision deemed final and not subject to appeal, according to Africanews and AA.

The ruling, announced on April 22, has drawn severe criticism from Thiam and his supporters, who contend the decision is a political maneuver aimed at eliminating a serious contender ahead of the elections. Thiam condemned the verdict as “unfair and unjustified,” characterizing it as an "act of democratic vandalism," and stated that it disenfranchises millions of voters, reports BBC and Reuters.

Despite the removal, Thiam has expressed intentions to continue his campaign, asserting that the PDCI will not nominate an alternative candidate. Instead, he insists they will fight the decision and advocate for his reinstatement, as he believes the ruling contradicts democratic principles. Thiam stated, "I'm a business person... I intend to stick to the course and try to take the country in a different direction,” according to Allafrica and Reuters.

This disqualification follows similar actions against other prominent opposition figures, including former president Laurent Gbagbo, positioning the current political environment in Côte d'Ivoire as tense. Thiam's camp claims this pattern is indicative of government efforts to maintain control and suppress opposition ahead of the elections, with Thiam's legal team continuing to explore avenues for appeal, as indicated in BBC and Africanews.

The final electoral list is expected to be published on June 20, amid ongoing tensions and calls for transparency within the electoral process, as the PDCI has signaled plans for public protests and mobilization around Thiam's case, according to Allafrica.