Editing Laurent Gbagbo (section)

=== Return to Cote d'Ivoire ===
After his acquittal was confirmed, current Ivorian President [[Alassane Ouattara]], Gbagbo's rival, invited him back to Côte d'Ivoire.<ref>{{Cite news|date=17 June 2021|title=Ivory Coast's ex-President Gbagbo returns home after ICC acquittal|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57471468|access-date=18 June 2021}}</ref> He arrived in [[Abidjan|Adbidjan]] on 17 June 2021, on a commercial flight from [[Brussels]], where he had been living for the previous three years after being released from detention.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|date=17 June 2021|title=Ivory Coast's ex-President Gbagbo returns home after ICC acquittal|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57471468|access-date=14 July 2021}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Ex-President Laurent Gbagbo back in Ivory Coast after acquittal|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/17/former-president-laurent-gbagbo-returns-to-ivory-coast|access-date=18 June 2021|website=www.aljazeera.com|language=en}}</ref> Ouattara arranged him a diplomatic passport, and promised him the benefits that are typically given to ex-presidents, including state-provided security and a state pension.<ref name=":1" />

Six of Gbagbo's former allies also returned after spending years in exile after being encouraged by the current president Ouattara.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20210614-three-key-factors-behind-laurent-gbagbo-s-return-to-c%C3%B4te-d-ivoire-alassane-ouattara-politics-elections-africa | title=Three key factors behind Laurent Gbagbo's return to Côte d'Ivoire |website=rfi.fr| date=14 June 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.europapress.es/internacional/noticia-ouattara-afirma-gbagbo-ble-goude-pueden-volver-costa-marfil-cuando-quieran-ser-absueltos-tpi-20210407152003.html | title=Ouattara afirma que Gbagbo y Blé Goudé pueden volver a Costa de Marfil "cuando quieran" tras ser absueltos por el TPI |website=Europa Press International| date=7 April 2021 }}</ref> In October 2021, Gbagbo launched a new political party called the African People's Party – Cote d'Ivoire (PPA-CI).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211016-gbagbo-takes-new-step-to-i-coast-presidency-as-new-party-holds-congress|title = Gbagbo takes new step to I.Coast presidency as new party holds congress|website=France 24|date = 16 October 2021}}</ref> In December 2021, he spent four days in [[Ghana]]. According to a statement from his party, he went there to attend the funeral of Captain [[Kojo Tsikata]], a man close to the former president of Ghana [[Jerry Rawlings]]. Laurent Gbagbo also visited the Ivorian exiles, whose return he wanted to the country since the Ivorian crisis, 11,000 Ivorians fled the post-election crisis to seek asylum in neighboring Ghana.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rfi.fr/fr/afrique/20211214-c%C3%B4te-d-ivoire-laurent-gbagbo-veut-le-retour-des-exil%C3%A9s-ivoiriens-au-ghana | title=Côte d'Ivoire: Laurent Gbagbo veut le retour des exilés ivoiriens au Ghana |website=rfi.fr| date=14 December 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Laurent-Gbagbo-eulogizes-Kojo-Tsikata-and-Rawlings-during-a-visit-to-Ghana-1425052 | title=Laurent Gbagbo eulogizes Kojo Tsikata and Rawlings during a visit to Ghana |website=GhanaWeb| date=16 December 2021 }}</ref>

On 10 March 2024, Gbagbo said that he would run again for president as leader of the PPA-CI in elections to be held in October 2025.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20240310-former-ivory-coast-president-gbagbo-agrees-to-run-in-2025-election | title=Former Ivorian president Gbagbo agrees to run in 2025 election |website=France 24 | date=10 March 2024}}</ref>