Leading Ivorian opposition figure Tidjane Thiam has cleared a major hurdle in his bid for the presidency after a court declined to rule on a case challenging the legitimacy of his nationality.

The case, filed by Valérie Yapo, sought Thiam’s removal as head of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), citing doubts over whether he holds valid Ivorian citizenship. However, in a brief emergency hearing, the presiding judge declared herself not competent to rule on the matter, effectively halting the challenge for now.

Despite facing pressure from within his own party, Thiam continues to press forward with his campaign ahead of the October 2025 presidential election.

Thiam, a former international banker and once CEO of Credit Suisse, returned to Ivorian politics to lead the PDCI, a historic opposition party that has sought to regain influence after years under the shadow of the ruling coalition.

With this ruling, Thiam is now expected to participate in the upcoming PDCI convention, where he is widely seen as the frontrunner for the party’s official presidential nomination.

The ruling coalition, led by outgoing President Alassane Ouattara, has yet to announce its candidate, setting the stage for a potentially transformative election in one of West Africa’s largest economies.