­Political repositioning ahead of 2020 presidential election continued. Tensions deepened within former President Henri Konan Bédié’s Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI) following party’s withdrawal from ruling coalition Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) early Aug: party split between those for and against proposed merger of PDCI and other coalition member President Ouattara’s Rally of Republicans (RDR). Electoral commission 11 Sept released lists of candidates for municipal and regional elections scheduled for 13 Oct, with some PDCI candidates also on RHDP list. After promising in early Aug to reconsider contested composition of electoral commission, President Ouattara early Sept said reform would not happen before upcoming elections. Opposition party Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) of Pascal Affi N’Guessan denounced Ouattara’s decision as violation of Nov 2016 ruling by African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights which obliged govt to reform commission’s membership and said it would boycott Oct elections. Opposition platform Together for Democracy and Sovereignty (EDS) 15 Sept demonstrated in Abidjan against postponement of electoral commission reform.

Major political repositioning took place ahead of 2020 presidential election. Former President Henri Konan Bédié’s Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI) left ruling coalition 8 Aug following increased tensions within coalition over creation of unified party. Bédié 10 Aug discussed with opposition leader Pascal Affi N’Guessan of Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) creating alliance between their parties. Opposition continued to question legitimacy of electoral commission and mobilised protest in Abidjan 28 July demanding immediate revision of its composition; President Ouattara 6 Aug said govt would examine and reconsider commission’s composition to ensure credible and inclusive electoral processes. Ouattara 6 Aug granted amnesty to former first lady Simone Gbagbo, sentenced in March 2015 to twenty years in prison for crimes against state security, as well as 800 other people accused or convicted of crimes linked to 2010-2011 post-election crisis.

Tensions rose within ruling coalition between President Ouattara’s Rally of Republicans (RDR) and former President Henri Konan Bédié’s Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI) over merger of all six coalition members into one party ahead of 2020 presidential election; PDCI continued to insist that it should be able to choose new party’s presidential candidate. Ouattara 4 July dissolved govt, 10 July appointed new largely unchanged govt without consulting PDCI. Ouattara 16 July chaired new party’s constitutive assembly without PDCI. PDCI 20 July said it had expelled party members who had been appointed to new cabinet. Machete attack during general assembly of Rally for Côte d’Ivoire (RACI) close to Assembly Speaker Guillaume Soro in Korhogo in north 7 July killed party supporter. Govt 18 July said local and regional elections would take place 13 Oct.

In run-up to regional and municipal elections planned for Sept, opposition platform Together for Democracy and Sovereignty called on voters to boycott 18-24 June registration process citing electoral commission’s lack of legitimacy. President Ouattara early June said constitution allowed him to run for third term in 2020 election; opposition said his candidacy would violate constitution. Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire, member of ruling coalition, 17 June said it would not form coalition with president’s party Rally of the Republicans before 2020 presidential election.

Govt put armed forces on state of alert 1 May after 600 gendarmes and police called for protest against delays in bonus payments; protest cancelled following talks. Govt 4 May announced retirement of 2,168 soldiers as part of plan to reduce army by 4,400 soldiers by 2020, each to receive $30,000. In west, members of Toura community clashed with Burkinabe nationals over land dispute in village of Gandié 10 May, one Burkinabe killed, 700 people displaced. In centre, suspected highway bandits 19 May ambushed and killed gendarme in Djékanou area. President Ouattara announced deployment of 450 additional soldiers to UN Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

Ahead of 2020 presidential elections, President Alassane Ouattara and Henri Konan Bedié, leaders of two main parties in ruling coalition Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace, 10 April affirmed their commitment to coalition and urged members of both parties to show restraint. Representatives of six parties forming ruling coalition 16 April signed agreement in principle to become one. Union pour la Côte d’Ivoire senior officials 28 April rejected text. Seventeen opposition supporters, arrested in Abidjan 22 March during protest against govt’s majority in electoral commission, released from prison 6 April, but spokesman of opposition platform Together for Democracy and Sovereignty, Jean-Gervais Tchéidé, remained in custody because of alleged 2013 arrest warrant. Gunmen 6 April attacked army checkpoint on Bangolo-Kouibly axis in west, one assailant killed.

Ruling coalition Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace won 50 of 66 seats in country’s first senatorial elections 24 March, opposition boycotted vote. Security forces 22 March blocked demonstration in Abidjan by opposition platform Together for Democracy and Sovereignty (EDS) against electoral commission, which it accused of bias. Two civilians reportedly killed 13 March in Bangolo area in west in unclear circumstances after armed individuals attacked military checkpoint. Amid rise in child kidnappings and ritual killings, body of fourteen-year-old girl found 5 March in M’Bahiakro in centre; civilians calling for justice 6 March ransacked police station there. President Ouattara 7 March condemned ritual killings.

Rival factions in military clashed twice in Bouaké in centre. Soldiers in artillery battalion who mutinied in 2017 clashed with members of elite unit, whom former accuse of being sent to spy on them, around military base at Sokoura, north of Bouaké in centre 5 Jan; one soldier reportedly killed. Rival factions clashed again in Bouaké 9 Jan. Govt responded by beefing up security in city.

Govt 6 Dec said it would retire and not replace 997 soldiers by end 2017 to bring army in line with “accepted standards”; govt reportedly plans to retire 4,400 soldiers over four years, paying each CFA15mn ($25,782). Clash between ethnic Lobi and Yacouba over land in Man in west 1 Dec left three dead.

President Ouattara and Assembly Speaker Guillaume Soro met 3 Nov in bid to ease tension between them; security services’ note leaked early Nov recommending that three men close to Soro be put under surveillance. Ethnic conflict over land persisted in west near Guiglo between local Wê people and, on other side, ethnic Baoulé and people from Burkina Faso: two youth leaders killed early Nov, govt 16 Nov said it would send 1,000 more security forces to area and expel illegal farmers. AU-EU summit held in Abidjan 29-30 Nov.