Côte d'Ivoire's two main opposition parties on Thursday announced a "common front" to demand that their leaders, banned from October presidential polls, be allowed to stand.
Côte d'Ivoire's political climate has been tense for several weeks after courts excluded several opposition figures from the October 25 election, in which President Alassane Ouattara is expected to seek a fourth term.
The alliance brings together the African People's Party – Côte d'Ivoire (PPA-CI) of former President Laurent Gbagbo and former international banker Tidjane Thiam's Democratic Party of Côte d'Ivoire (PDCI).
The two opposition parties need to pool their election resources and hence were deciding to "unite their forces so that the government hears the message of Côte d'Ivoire's citizens at a time when the future of our country is truly at stake", Thiam said via video link.
Election with 'no legitimacy or credibility'
"If nothing is done, we are heading towards an election that will have no legitimacy or credibility," continued the former Credit Suisse CEO, currently outside the country.
In addition to calling for excluded candidates to be allowed to run, the "common front" notably urged the government to open a political dialogue and reform the electoral commission organising the poll.
The demands broadly echo those of a 20-party coalition launched in February that includes the PDCI but not the PPA-CI.
Gbagbo has cool relations with some figures in that alliance, notably ex-wife Simone Ehivet Gbagbo.
Common opposition candidate
The question of fielding a common opposition candidate does not feature on the agenda.
Gbagbo also on Thursday spoke out against incumbent Ouattara, set to be nominated this weekend by his ruling party for a fourth term.
"If we do not give others the capacity to fight for power, it is no longer democracy," Gbagbo said.
"I cannot remain silent in the face of the excesses that want to take us back to a single-party system," Gbagbo added, saying he would not abandon the fight against a fourth Ouattara mandate.
The government has insisted the exclusion of opposition candidates is not a political move but decisions made by an independent judiciary.
