Dueling Presidents in Ivory Coast

Posted on Dec 4, 2010

AP / Schalk van Zuydam

Supporters of Ivory Coast opposition leader Alassane Ouattara burned trash and tires in the streets of Abidjan on Saturday.

In an electoral equivalent of the game of chicken taken to the extreme, two candidates for the Ivory Coast presidency have both sworn themselves in, claiming the post for their own and sparking a major political crisis in the West African country. —JCL

The BBC:

The incumbent Laurent Gbagbo took the oath to serve a new term, but within hours Alassane Ouattara also laid claim to the presidency.

The US, UN and France say Sunday’s run-off poll was won by Mr Ouattara.

[Ouattara] was declared the winner by the electoral body, but this was overturned by the Constitutional Council, which is led by an ally of Mr Gbagbo.

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