Ivory Coast dissolves electoral commission amid opposition criticism

Ivory Coast's government has dissolved the Independent Electoral Commission after sustained criticism from opposition parties over its independence.

A new election-management system is planned, but officials have not yet named a replacement.

Communications Minister Amadou Coulibaly said the Council of Ministers took the decision after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

He said the move was intended to address reservations about the body and to create greater trust in the organisation of future elections.

Coulibaly said he could not yet say what the new mechanism would be, adding that it would be discussed and put in place at government level.

The commission's dissolution comes as the country continues to face scrutiny over how elections are run.

The Independent Electoral Commission, known as the CEI, has overseen Ivory Coast's elections since the end of military rule in 2000.

Opposition parties have long accused it of being aligned with the ruling coalition.

The body has also been central to several major electoral disputes, including the 2010 presidential election, whose contested result led to months of deadly violence.

#IvoryCoast #IndependentElectoralCommission #AmadouCoulibaly #AlassaneOuattara #elections