Simone Gbagbo, former first lady of Ivory Coast, has re-emerged as a presidential contender, marking one of the most dramatic political comebacks in the country’s history. At 76, Gbagbo is running under the banner of her newly formed Movement of Skilled Generations (MGC) party in the October 25, 2025, election, positioning herself as a voice for national renewal while seeking to move beyond her controversial past, as reported by Reuters.
A former trade unionist and academic, Gbagbo co-founded the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) alongside her then-husband, former president Laurent Gbagbo. Her tenure as first lady between 2000 and 2011 was defined by civil unrest and the 2010 post-election crisis, which led to her imprisonment in 2015 for endangering state security. She was later released in 2018 under a presidential amnesty, as highlighted by Reuters and France24.
Gbagbo’s campaign, focused on social democracy, national reconciliation, and economic sovereignty, calls for reforms to the CFA franc and greater regional self-determination. Her entry comes at a tense political moment, with President Alassane Ouattara seeking a controversial fourth term and opposition figures such as Laurent Gbagbo and Tidjane Thiam ruled ineligible to run, The Guardian reported.
“Her candidacy is symbolic of both continuity and defiance,” said historian Arthur Banga in an interview cited by Reuters. “She may not win this election, but she is staking a claim as the new face of opposition politics.”
Whether or not Simone Gbagbo secures the presidency, her return underscores shifting power dynamics in Ivorian politics and could influence the broader West African political landscape, where questions of leadership renewal and political legitimacy remain deeply contested.
