By Ebi Kesiena
The field of presidential candidates in Ivory Coast has expanded with Simone Ehivet, the ex-wife of former President Laurent Gbagbo, officially announcing her bid for the 2025 election.
Ehivet secured the nomination from her party, the Movement of Capable Generations (MGC), during a congress held in her hometown of Moossou, in the southeastern region of the country.
In her acceptance speech, Ehivet outlined her vision for Ivory Coast, emphasizing national reconciliation through a sweeping amnesty, achieving food sovereignty, and advancing industrialization, these priorities, she argued, are vital for the nation’s progress and unity.
Simone Ehivet and Laurent Gbagbo divorced in June 2023 after 34 years of marriage and a long history of joint political activism. A former teacher, Ehivet began her public life as a trade unionist in the 1970s. Her political journey gained momentum when she met Gbagbo in 1973, together they co-founded the Popular Ivorian Front (FPI) in 1982 to challenge the regime of then-President Felix Houphouet-Boigny.
During Laurent Gbagbo’s imprisonment for war crimes, the FPI came under the leadership of Pascal Affi N’Guessan, who has also declared his candidacy for the upcoming election.
With her entry into the race, Ehivet seeks to carve her own path in Ivorian politics, bringing decades of experience and a fresh perspective to the competition.
