Ouattara's 'Election' Win: Fourth Term, Zero Credibility
Al Jazeera cheerfully announces Alassane Ouattara's 'victory' in Ivory Coast, securing what the article subtly terms a 'fourth term.' (He's an octogenarian, for those keeping score on how long 'transitional leaders' can 'transition.') The mainstream story gently notes this 'win' came after 'two main rivals' were 'excluded.' Excluded? One, Henri Konan Bédié, was disqualified on a technicality of
dubious legality. The other, Laurent Gbagbo, was busy fighting politically motivated charges at the International Criminal Court, later acquitted but still effectively sidelined. 'Excluding' your primary competition certainly streamlines the voting process, doesn't it? This isn't an election; it's a coronation with extra steps. Ouattara, brought to power with French and UN backing after a civil
war in 2011, swore then he'd only serve two terms. Now, constitutionally dubious interpretations and convenient removals of opposition ensure his continued 'democratic' mandate. How many times can a leader swear two terms are enough before such promises become a comedic national tradition? One might wonder if the international community's silence is just polite acquiescence to a 'stable'
strongman, no matter the democratic cost.