On Monday, June 22, 2026, the Ivorian Prime Minister, Robert Beugré Mambé, officially presented the government's vision for replacing the recently dissolved Independent Electoral Commission (CEI). Before an audience of political leaders, members of civil society, media professionals, and institutional partners, the head of government unveiled the main points of a reform intended to be historic for Ivorian democracy.

An institutional architecture based on three pillars

To restore public trust and safeguard the democratic process, the future electoral body will be structured around three distinct and complementary components:

1. The physical organization: An entity exclusively dedicated to the logistics and technical deployment of the elections.
2. Centralization of votes: A structure responsible for counting and processing votes to guarantee their authenticity.
3. General supervision: An independent control body to ensure the regularity of the entire process.

"The new electoral body will have to further consolidate confidence at each of the decisive stages of the electoral process," Robert Beugré Mambé stressed.

The Prime Minister emphasized the key principles of this overhaul: neutrality, professionalism, transparency, and accessibility . This modernization will also incorporate new technological innovations, while ensuring they are secure and understood by the public.

Social peace and youth inclusion

Beyond the technical aspects, this reform pursues a highly political and social objective: to ease national tensions. Mr. Mambé expressed his hope that this new governance would definitively prevent electoral violence and strengthen national cohesion.

He also delivered a strong message to Ivorian youth, advocating for them to be better trained and actively involved in the democratic process, rather than being "instrumentalized for political purposes".

A political class that listens but remains vigilant

The first reactions from the opposition and political forces were swift. Major figures on the Ivorian political scene welcomed the government's initiative:

1. Charles Blé Goudé (President of COJEP)
2. Pascal Affi N'Guessan (President of the FPI)
3. Georges Ezalé (Vice-President of the PDCI)

While these leaders welcome this willingness to engage in dialogue, they remain cautious. They unanimously expressed their desire to review the detailed text of the reform to ensure it leads to a broad consensus, essential for holding credible and peaceful elections.

The Prime Minister promised to present the final version of this new architecture very soon, calling on all stakeholders to act responsibly to preserve the economic and democratic stability of Ivory Coast.