Côte d’Ivoire
October 2000
Presidential elections were held. Ouattara was banned from running on the basis that he was of foreign descent. Robert Gueï proclaimed himself president after announcing that he had won the elections but was forced to flee in the wake of a popular uprising. Laurent Gbagbo, believed to be the real winner, was declared president. Fighting erupted between Gbagbo’s mainly southern Christian supporters and Ouattara’s mainly northern Muslim followers.
December 1999
President Bédié was overthrown in a military coup led by General Robert Gueï.
1995
The concept of “Ivority” was used for the first time by President Bédié. Although it originally referred to the common cultural identity of all those living in Côte d’Ivoire—especially foreigners who represent one third of the population—he changed it to mean population of Ivorian descent. For political purposes, before the 2000 presidential elections, a law drafted by the government required both parents of a presidential candidate to be born within Côte d’Ivoire. This led to the disqualification of the candidate Alassane Ouattara, representing the predominantly Muslim north, where immigrant workers from Mali and Burkina Faso often reside.
