Côte d'Ivoire's ruling party wins 77% of seats in parliament

Côte d'Ivoire's ruling party has won more than 77% of the seats in parliament, two months after the re-election of Alassane Ouattara as president, according to results announced on Monday.

The Independent Electoral Commission said the Rally of Houphouetists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) won 197 of the 255 seats – 34 more than in the outgoing National Assembly.

Ouattara won his fourth mandate in October with nearly 90% of the vote, in elections that excluded the two main opposition figures, who were removed from electoral lists.

Ouattara's party has an even larger majority in the Senate and leads in 80% of regions and two-thirds of municipalities.

Main opposition party loses ground

Saturday's turnout at parliamentary elections was 35% – two points lower than in 2021. Turnout was also low at the presidential elections, with one in two voters abstaining.

The RHDP party swept the country in the north, its historical stronghold dominated by Ouattara's Malinke ethnic group.

But the party also consolidated its foothold in the southern and western regions, which have historically been favourable to the opposition.

The main opposition Democratic Party of Ivory Coast (PDCI) saw its number of parliamentary seats halved from 66 to 32.

Independent candidates

The other major opposition party, the African People's Party – Côte d'Ivoire (PPA-CI) of former President Laurent Gbagbo, had called for a boycott of the election and did not field any candidates.

About 20 members of parliament were elected as independents.

The head of the electoral commission, Ibrahime Kuibiert Coulibaly, said the vote was "generally conducted in accordance with the laws and regulations in force."