This Friday, January 23, 2026, the headquarters of the African People's Party-Ivory Coast (PPA-CI) in Cocody will host a crucial ordinary Central Committee meeting. Chaired by former head of state Laurent Gbagbo, this meeting marks a turning point for the opposition party following the electoral turmoil at the end of 2025.

A busy political calendar for 2026

According to the statement from the Secretary General, Jean-Gervais Tchéidé, the agenda focuses on two key events:

1. The first ordinary Congress: Scheduled before the end of the first half of 2026, it will be the scene of the election of a new leader.
2. The “Festival of Rebirth”: A powerful symbolic gathering to remobilize activists.

The announced withdrawal of "Mama's Woody"

The main issue at this meeting remains the post-Gbagbo era. True to his statements of October 2025, the former president reiterated his wish to withdraw from active political life to devote himself to his family and writing.

"At the congress, I will no longer be a candidate for the leadership of the party," he warned, thus marking the end of a four-year cycle at the head of the PPA-CI.

A party at a crossroads

This session is taking place in a climate of protest. As a reminder, the PPA-CI:

1. It contests the re-election of Alassane Ouattara in October 2025.
2. Boycotted the legislative elections of December 27th.

The challenge this Friday is therefore twofold: to organize a smooth internal transition while defining a new opposition strategy against the power in place.