ABIDJAN, March 20 – Tidjane Thiam, the former CEO of Credit Suisse, has renounced his French citizenship, clearing a key hurdle in his quest to run for president of Ivory Coast. The French government confirmed his decision through an official publication on Thursday, marking a significant step toward his bid to lead the country, a major cocoa producer in West Africa.
Thiam, 62, was elected president of the opposition PDCI party in 2023 and announced his intention to run for president last month. However, Ivory Coast law requires presidential candidates to be exclusively Ivorian citizens, which necessitated Thiam’s renunciation of his French passport. The announcement has fueled speculation about his prospects in the upcoming October elections, though the current president, Alassane Ouattara, has yet to reveal whether he will seek a third term.
Thiam’s political journey in Ivory Coast began long before his return to the country’s politics. After serving as a minister until a 1999 military coup ousted former President Henri Konan Bédié, Thiam spent years working in the private sector, including roles at McKinsey, Aviva, and Prudential, before his high-profile appointment as CEO of Credit Suisse in 2015.
Despite the recent clarification of his citizenship status, Thiam’s path to the presidency remains uncertain. A court in Abidjan began hearing a case on Thursday filed by a former PDCI member who is contesting Thiam’s leadership of the party. The plaintiff argues that Thiam’s position as party president is invalid, citing his French nationality at the time of his election. The court has postponed the hearing until April.
While Thiam has not publicly commented on the case, some political analysts worry that the ongoing debates over his nationality could reignite old tensions related to Ivorian identity, which played a pivotal role in the country’s civil war. These concerns could further complicate his political ambitions as the election approaches.
PDCI spokesperson Bredoumy Soumaila Kouassi defended Thiam’s position, clarifying that the party’s internal rules do not require members to hold only Ivorian nationality for leadership roles. Thiam, he confirmed, has always retained his Ivorian citizenship.
Political analyst Arthur Banga suggested that Thiam’s candidacy could still face scrutiny by Ivory Coast’s Constitutional Council in August, which would ultimately determine his eligibility to run. In addition to legal hurdles, Thiam also faces internal competition within the PDCI, where former trade minister Jean-Louis Billon has announced his own presidential aspirations.
