The outcome was widely expected after his strongest opponents were barred from running.

The 83-year-old former international banker, who first came to power in 2011 after a disputed election that triggered months of conflict, has since presided over a period of relative stability and steady economic growth in the world’s top cocoa producer.

In this election, former Commerce Minister Jean-Louis Billon won 3.09% of the vote, while former First Lady Simone Gbagbo received 2.42%. Both conceded defeat, with Simone Gbagbo reportedly calling Ouattara to congratulate him.

Voter turnout stood at around 50%, significantly lower than in the landmark 2010 elections. Opposition leaders, including Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam, were deemed ineligible to contest, leading to criticism that the election lacked genuine competition.

In his victory speech, President Ouattara pledged to continue strengthening the economy, attracting private investment, and to use his new term to “pass the torch to a new generation of leaders.”

Ouattara’s re-election marks yet another chapter in Ivory Coast’s complex political history one shaped by progress, resilience, and the search for lasting democratic stability.