Ivory Coast: Ruling party tightens grip on parliament

Ivory Coast’s ruling party has strengthened its hold on power, winning nearly three-quarters of seats in parliamentary elections held on Saturday, according to final results announced by the Independent Electoral Commission.

The Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace, the RHDP, secured 197 of the 255 seats, around 77 percent, expanding its majority just two months after President Alassane Ouattara was re-elected for a controversial fourth term. Voter turnout remained low, at about 35 percent, continuing a trend of declining participation.

The RHDP dominated its traditional strongholds in the north, sometimes winning all available seats, while also making gains in southern and western regions historically loyal to the opposition. Election authorities said the vote was largely peaceful, despite isolated incidents that did not affect the overall outcome.

The opposition suffered major losses. The Democratic Party of Ivory Coast, the PDCI, saw its representation halved, while the party of former president Laurent Gbagbo, which called for a boycott, lost all its seats.

With this result, President Ouattara now controls most key institutions, reinforcing stability according to supporters, but raising concerns among critics over shrinking political space and weakened democratic checks.