• Côte d’Ivoire ruling RHDP wins 197 of 255 parliamentary seats

• Result consolidates President Ouattara’s control of executive and legislature

• Main opposition PDCI takes 32 seats as turnout stands at 35%

Côte d’Ivoire’s ruling party won a landslide parliamentary majority in legislative elections, the electoral commission said on Monday, consolidating the power of President Alassane Ouattara’s political bloc.

The Rassemblement des Houphouëtistes pour la Démocratie et la Paix (RHDP) secured 197 of the 255 seats in the National Assembly, according to a statement from the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) published on Dec. 29.

The Parti démocratique de Côte d’Ivoire Rassemblement démocratique africain (PDCI-RDA) won 32 seats, making it the main opposition party, while independent candidates took 23 seats. Three smaller parties, the Front populaire ivoirien (FPI), the Union pour la République (UNPR) and the Buffle party, each won one seat.

The Parti des peuples africains Côte d’Ivoire (PPA-CI) of former President Laurent Gbagbo, a key opponent of the RHDP, boycotted Saturday’s vote. Some of its members, however, ran as independent candidates, the state-run Ivorian Press Agency (AIP) reported.

The legislative election was held nearly two months after Ouattara’s re-election in October 2020, following a constitutional change that allowed him to seek a third term. Ouattara has led Côte d’Ivoire since 2011. The result gives the RHDP and its leader control of both the executive and legislative branches.

The new administration faces challenges including youth unemployment, financial inclusion, regional inequalities and climate change adaptation. Economic growth has averaged more than 6% since 2021. The International Monetary Fund projects growth of 6.3% in 2025, driven by services, hydrocarbons and mining.

Voter turnout in the legislative election stood at 35.04%, the CEI said.

Lydie Mobio