Ivory Coast's former PM named by Gbagbo's party as presidential candidate

Pascal Affi N'Guessan, president of FPI (Ivorian Popular Front), speaks after being chosen as candidate for October's presidential election by his party during the party's 5th congress in Abidjan, Ivory Coast August 1, 2020. REUTERS/ Luc Gnago

ABIDJAN (Reuters) - The party of Ivory Coast’s former president Laurent Gbagbo named his one-time prime minister Pascal Affi N’Guessan as its candidate for the October presidential vote, ending speculation Gbagbo might return from abroad to stand.

The election is seen as the biggest test yet of the tenuous stability achieved since a civil war in 2010-11 in which around 3,000 people were killed, sparked by Gbagbo's refusal to step down from office after a disputed election.