Ivoirian 'Elections': Another Chapter in Franco-American Endorsements
The story details civil society resistance to Ouattara's unconstitutional power grab. What it doesn't shout from the rooftops is that Ouattara, a former IMF deputy managing director, ascended to power in 2011 amidst a civil war, overtly backed by France and the U.S. who intervened militarily. (CNN, 2011) His 'election' then was quickly endorsed by Washington and Paris. His current pursuit of a
fourth term merely continues a pattern where 'democracy' in Francophone Africa often means maintaining Western-aligned, resource-friendly leadership. One might wonder if the West's sudden concern for 'flawed' systems only arises when their preferred candidate faces internal dissent, not when they impose them. How many times will these 'pivotal' elections redefine the term 'mandate' before anyone
calls it what it is: a predictable outcome from a tightly controlled process?