Tidjane Thiam has stepped down as president of the Democratic Party of Côte d’Ivoire (PDCI), citing what he called “judicial harassment” in a video statement released Sunday.
The former Credit Suisse CEO, who was elected to lead the opposition party in December 2023, said he had been targeted by a coordinated campaign aimed at derailing his political ambitions.
Thiam’s resignation follows mounting legal challenges, including a court petition by a party member contesting the legality of his leadership. The PDCI was scheduled to meet Monday to appoint an interim leader.
His exit marks another setback in Thiam’s effort to run for president in the 2025 election. In April, an Abidjan magistrate ordered his removal from the national voter registry, citing Ivory Coast’s nationality law. Thiam, who previously held French citizenship, had renounced it to regain Ivorian nationality.
In his statement, Thiam accused political opponents of using the judiciary as a tool to block his candidacy. He did not indicate whether he would continue pursuing a role in public life.