In a message of unprecedented gravity, broadcast two days after the presidential election, Tidjane Thiam, President of the PDCI-RDA, delivered an uncompromising analysis. His speech was not simply a criticism of the results: it had all the hallmarks of a battle plan for the post-election period, based on the rejection of the legitimacy of the vote, a condemnation of the violence, and the demand for immediate dialogue.

 

Election annulled by the people's "silent rejection"

Mr. Thiam's first warning shot was to deny any legitimacy to the process. He stated bluntly: what took place on October 25 "was not a real election." To support this assertion, he pointed to a double failure: the establishment of a "climate of fear" that undermined the process and the evident "low visible participation."

For the PDCI president, the message was clear: the abstention rate is the "verdict of the people," which he described as a "silent but powerful rejection" of an electoral exercise lacking credibility. He highlighted the inconsistency of the figures announced and denounced the illusion that the vote could bring stability. He recalled that the country had been "divided" and had "stepped backward in building a true Ivorian nation."

 

From exclusion to repression: the spiral of crisis

Mr. Thiam retraced the sequence that led to this crisis. He denounced the instrumentalization of institutions, citing his own exclusion from electoral lists and those of other opposition figures as a strategic prerequisite for power. He bitterly recalled that President Ouattara had run for a "controversial fourth term."

The opposition leader then focused on violence, deploring the "brutal repression" of peaceful protests. His message became poignant as he paid tribute to the memory of the deceased and denounced the return of "horror" in certain localities. He recalled the tragedies, stating that "human lives have been lost and we are told one person was burned alive." He concluded this segment by solemnly promising to "fight for their release by all available legal means."

 

Corruption as the main enemy: a call for strategic unity of the opposition

Beyond the electoral dispute, Tidjane Thiam has given the opposition a new direction by targeting economic governance. Corruption, he declared, is not only a moral failing, it is an "economic disaster" that keeps people in poverty.

This denunciation is strategic: it positions the opposition on social and technical ground. He castigated the embezzlement of funds: "If the billions financed by your taxes and sometimes embezzled by some were invested in Côte d'Ivoire rather than in buildings and properties abroad, our country would be better off." It is on this foundation of demanding justice and transparency that he launched a vibrant call for the unity of all active forces to stand together.

 

Dialogue: a tool for imposing, not for giving in

Despite the firmness of his speech, Mr. Thiam reaffirmed his commitment to dialogue, rejecting any accusation of calling for insurrection. He was keen to justify his previous message of October 18: "It is never too late for dialogue. Peace is still possible. Let us act now."

However, this dialogue is not an unconditional outstretched hand. Thiam is demanding a "sincere dialogue" to break the "impasse" created by the government. Moreover, the opposition has made it clear that it will not engage in any formal discussions without clear signals of good faith from the authorities. Participation in the consultation forums will be conditional on proof that the government is ready to break with exclusionary methods. The opposition will use these forums not to collaborate, but to maintain pressure on key points and impose the transparency agenda.

 

The ultimatum of the refoundation

The 2025 defeat sounds like an ultimatum for the Ivorian opposition. Its future will no longer be determined by the hypothetical return of historical figures, but by its ability to embody a political proposition of change for young people.

The choice now is between sterile fragmentation and strategic unity. Tidjane Thiam insists: "We will continue to fight peacefully, not with weapons, but with hope." It is by becoming a useful and constructive critic, rooted in social issues rather than emotions, that the opposition will be able to regain the trust of voters and make Ivorian pluralism a true engine of progress for 2030.