Ivory Coast opposition proposes new election authority
Opposition parties want an independent body to manage polls, excluding political representatives.
Opposition parties and movements in Ivory Coast are advocating for a reformed electoral governance structure, proposing the creation of an independent National Electoral Authority (AENI). This new body would be responsible for organizing elections and referendums, aiming to strengthen the credibility of polls by operating on principles of independence, neutrality, impartiality, transparency, and professionalism.
The proposed mechanism includes a complementary structure, the Permanent Election Observatory (OPE), tasked with monitoring the electoral process, evaluating its regularity, and issuing alerts and recommendations. A National Selection Committee (CNS) would also be established to recruit members for both bodies, without direct involvement in the practical organization of the votes. The AENI would be an autonomous public institution with administrative, financial, technical, and operational independence.
The AENI's mandate would cover the entire electoral cycle, from voter list establishment and revision to the proclamation of provisional results. Its leadership would be a college of 11 members from diverse professional backgrounds, excluding political party and government representatives. The OPE would independently observe and evaluate, with its recommendations reviewed by the AENI, which must provide reasoned responses and publish a follow-up report.
Why it mattersOpposition parties in Ivory Coast are proposing a new independent body to organize elections, aiming to restore citizen and political actor confidence in the electoral process.