Cote d'Ivoire is a republic whose national political system centers on constitutional executive institutions, a legislature and a judiciary. Alassane Ouattara serves as President of Côte d'Ivoire and holds a leading role in the country's government.
Côte d'Ivoire is a presidential republic in which the president is the central national executive and serves as head of state and, in constitutional terms, head of government or chief executive. The president appoints or directs the cabinet under the rules of the constitution, while the legislature has a separate mandate and exercises lawmaking, budgetary, and oversight functions.
Legislative authority is exercised through a bicameral national parliament. The two chambers share responsibility for passing laws and approving public finances, with their precise powers and methods of selection defined by the constitution. Parliamentary committees and plenary sessions provide formal mechanisms for scrutiny, while the courts are institutionally separate and may review government action as permitted by law.
Côte d'Ivoire is a unitary state, meaning sovereign authority is principally vested in national institutions, although local and regional governments exercise powers assigned by law. The constitution defines the relationship among the executive, legislature, judiciary, and subnational administration. The constitutional framework provides for multiparty political institutions, although the practical balance of power is strongly influenced by the presidency and the country's prevailing political conditions.
