Former Ivory Coast First Lady Simone Gbagbo has gone from hiding in a bunker in an attempt to avoid arrest to defiantly announcing she will run 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 side-by-side with her ex-husband Laurent and was considered the power behind his throne. Now, with a criminal conviction and a divorce behind her, she takes center stage as a presidential candidate in her own right.
Gbagbo was Ivory Coast's first lady from 2000 to 2011 and was dubbed 'the iron lady' due to her reputation for toughness. While her supporters fondly called her 'maman' (French for 'mum'), Gbagbo was feared within the party she set up with her husband.
At rallies, Gbagbo often invoked her evangelist Christian faith, delivering spirited, eloquent speeches. She met Laurent in 1973, both active in the trade union movement and opposing the autocratic rule of then-president Félix Houphouët-Boigny.
The couple faced multiple arrests due to their activism. Gbagbo recalls in interviews how she endured harsh treatment during imprisonments, shaping her resolve in the political landscape of Ivory Coast.
In recent years, Gbagbo has quietly been strengthening her political base, founding the Movement of Capable Generations (MGC). Her candidacy is significant, highlighting the underrepresentation of women in national leadership roles where only 30% of parliamentarians are women.
As a presidential candidate, Gbagbo is seen as a strong challenger to current President Alassane Ouattara. Historic implications loom as Gbagbo aims to become the first female president in Ivory Coast's history, potentially leading a 'modernized' and 'prosperous' nation.
