The making of the RHDP
The Rally of Houphouëtists for Democracy and Peace (RHDP) was envisioned as the grand gathering for the political heirs of Félix Houphouët-Boigny, a group long fragmented by disputes over his enduring legacy. What initially emerged as a strategic coalition, born from the rapprochement between former rivals Alassane Ouattara and Henri Konan Bédié, who united against their common adversary, Laurent Gbagbo, the RHDP has, over approximately two decades, dramatically transitioned from the ranks of the opposition to the highest echelons of power. It has ultimately solidified its position as the dominant, hegemonic force in Côte d’Ivoire’s political landscape.
