A significant chapter has now closed in Côte d’Ivoire. For a quarter-century, the nation’s Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) held the crucial responsibility of organizing and overseeing elections. However, this institution, which frequently faced strong criticism and challenges from opposition political parties, has officially ceased to exist.

This pivotal development immediately raises vital questions for the country’s democratic future. What assessment will ultimately be made of the CEI’s long tenure, especially considering the consistent contestation it faced? And, perhaps more importantly, what characteristics must the new electoral body possess to genuinely guarantee transparent, fair, and peaceful elections for all citizens in Côte d’Ivoire?