The African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights has dismissed a joint petition filed by Côte d’Ivoire’s former President Laurent Gbagbo and ex-parliament speaker Guillaume Soro. The ruling, delivered on Thursday, comes just months ahead of the country’s presidential election in October 2025.

Both Gbagbo and Soro were seeking legal redress after being disqualified from the electoral roll due to past criminal convictions. They had hoped the court would overturn the Ivorian electoral body’s decision and reinstate their candidacies.

The court’s rejection of the petition has sparked political tension, especially as new opposition coalitions emerge to challenge the ruling RHDP party led by President Alassane Ouattara.

Despite the setback, Gbagbo and Soro remain active political figures, and their parties are expected to make strategic moves in the coming weeks to influence the outcome of the upcoming election.