What You Need to Know
The National Security Council of Ivory Coast reported that violence during the presidential elections on October 25, 2025, resulted in 11 fatalities, including a national guard officer, and 71 injuries. Additionally, 1,658 individuals were arrested across the country. President Alassane Ouattara condemned the unrest and called for accountability for those responsible.
Africa. The National Security Council in Ivory Coast, chaired by President Alassane Ouattara, announced that the violence accompanying the presidential elections on October 25, 2025, resulted in 11 deaths, including a national guard officer, and 71 injuries, in addition to the arrest of 1,658 individuals across the country.
The council stated in an official statement that these disturbances also caused “significant material damage,” noting that President Ouattara strongly condemned what he described as “irresponsible actions by certain political leaders,” expressing solidarity with the families of the victims, the injured, and those affected.
The statement added that the president tasked the Minister of Justice with taking “all necessary measures to determine responsibilities as soon as possible and expedite legal proceedings against those involved and inciting violence.”
Background of the Events
The clashes erupted following calls from opposition parties within the “Joint Front” coalition, which includes the African People’s Party-Ivory Coast and the Democratic Party of Ivory Coast, to organize daily gatherings in various cities.
These calls escalated into violent acts, including roadblocks using tree trunks, arson of facilities belonging to the “Independent Electoral Commission,” destruction of polling offices and electoral equipment, as well as confrontations between local groups and attacks on administrative officials and security forces, alongside attempts to sabotage facilities of one of the country’s main energy suppliers.
To ensure the electoral process proceeded smoothly, authorities deployed around 44,000 defense and security personnel nationwide; however, this did not prevent sporadic outbreaks of violence.
Ivory Coast has a long history of electoral crises, with the 2000 presidential and legislative elections resulting in over 200 deaths. The post-election crisis of 2010 led to more than 3,000 fatalities and the displacement of thousands. In the 2020 elections, the government reported 85 deaths and 484 injuries due to violence. These events highlight the ongoing political instability and challenges in establishing a stable democratic process in the country.
Observers note that the recurrence of electoral violence raises questions about the institutions’ ability to manage democratic competition amid the deep divisions that have characterized the political landscape since the early 2000s.
