Former Ivory Coast First Lady Simone Gbagbo has gone from hiding in a bunker in an attempt to avoid arrest to defiantly announcing her candidacy for president.
In an extraordinary comeback, the controversial 76-year-old was this week surprisingly allowed to contest October's elections, calling on supporters to help 'build a new nation'.
For years, Gbagbo worked alongside her ex-husband Laurent, becoming a significant power figure in the political landscape. Now, with a criminal conviction and a divorce behind her, she steps into the spotlight as a presidential candidate in her own right.
Gbagbo, often called 'the iron lady' during her tenure from 2000 to 2011, is renowned for her toughness. While her supporters refer to her as 'maman' (French for 'mum'), she has instilled fear within her political party, the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI).
At rallies, she powerfully invoked her Christian faith, delivering spirited speeches in support of her husband and their political ambitions. Both former activists during the regime of Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the couple faced multiple imprisonments for their resistance.
After their activism led to numerous setbacks, including imprisonment and exile, the Gbagbos co-founded the FPI and re-entered Ivorian politics. During her husband's presidency, she became a key figure, dubbed ruthless by some but loyal and dedicated by others.
After a tumultuous political landscape defined by conflict and personal turmoil — including her trial and conviction for trying to undermine state security — Gbagbo now claims a renewed vision for her country with her movement, the Movement of Capable Generations (MGC). Her candidacy symbolizes a pivotal moment for women in Ivorian politics.
As she navigates this complex political terrain, Gbagbo remains a formidable challenger to the current president Alassane Ouattara, aiming to make history as Ivory Coast's first female president.
