Simone Gbagbo, Ahoua Don Mello and Several Parties Propose a High Electoral Council to Replace the CEI

On June 8, 2026 in Abidjan, a coalition led by Simone Ehivet Gbagbo and Ahoua Don Mello presented a draft organic law to create a High Electoral Council (HCE) composed of eleven members exclusively from civil society, with no political or executive representatives. This follows the dissolution of the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) in May 2026, which was criticized for being too close to the government during the October 2025 presidential election. The signatories believe previous reforms have not resolved the crisis of confidence in election management in Côte d'Ivoire.