His return is unlikely to facilitate reconciliation for political actors in the country.
Laurent Gbagbo, the former president of Cote d’Ivoire, who was recently acquitted of war crimes charges by the International Criminal Court, was scheduled to return on June 17, 2021. However, the government announced on June 9, 2021 that it would not allow his return because his party had not informed authorities in time to allow for preparations. This comes two days after Gbagbo’s party, Ivorian Popular Front (FPI), announced his intended return date.
His return foresees repercussions on the political life of the country where, despite a decade of absence, he has remained one of the main protagonists for more than 30 years. The population hopes that his return will help to calm spirits and above all to create a favorable climate which leads to a frank political dialogue. The return of Gbagbo is far from being the final act of reconciliation, but it is an important step towards reconciliation. It was time for the Ivorians to overcome their rivalries and animosities to support the supreme interest of the nation.
President Alassane Ouattara said in April 2021 that Gbagbo was free to return, in the wake of a national reconciliation process. Ouattara also reportedly told a cabinet meeting that his government would cover Gbagbo’s travel expenses and that measures will be taken to ensure that he receives the benefits of a former president. Gbagbo’s supporters see his peaceful return as a major step towards reconciliation and national unity.
Gbagbo is aged 76, but few expect this wily political veteran to go into retirement.
He is a cult figure for many in the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI).
The FPI’s campaign for Gbagbo’s return gained traction last year after Côte d’Ivoire spiralled into electoral violence, triggered when Ouattara declared he would bid for a third term — a move that critics said violated the constitution.
After scores of deaths and a ballot largely boycotted by the opposition, Ouattara found himself re-elected by a landslide.
Ouattara offered Gbagbo a role in “national reconciliation”, promising him the rewards and status due to a former head of state.
Read also: Post electoral scenarios in Côte d’Ivoire
Much of what happens after Gbagbo’s return will depend on the chemistry between him, Ouattara and former president Henri Konan Bedie, 87. They form a trio of powerful men who have dominated Ivorian policy.
Bedie succeeded Ivory Coast’s post-colonial founding father, Felix Houphouet-Boigny, on his death in 1993. In 2010, he teamed up with Ouattara against Gbagbo. He is undisputed head of the Democratic Party of the Ivory Coast (PDCI) — once-ruling but now in opposition.
Bedie has played a key role in calming tensions since the October elections.
He fought to secure multi-party elections as the top opponent to Houphouet-Boigny and later Bedie in the 1980s and 90s.
In a country where efforts to reconcile sometimes warring ethnic groups and political factions have failed, antagonisms among political parties remain powerful. Insofar as the parties are more representatives of regional or ethnic interests than vectors for manifestos or ideologies, their opposition to each other tends to translate quickly into intercommunal violence.
Our March forecast has proved: Gbagbo is returning because Ouattara declared his victory and opposition parties save their unity after this. It is likely, that his arrival will lead to rising tensions, provoking inter-tribal stand-off.
