The majority of the armed troops refuse to shoot at their countrymen revolting. Outtara could stand candidate are refused, provoking new, large scale clashes killing over hundred persons in Abidjan and the north. General Guei returns to C te d'Ivoire without facing charges. Reports grow that the general is preparing a comeback by recruiting mercenaries and storing weapons in his village close to the Liberian border. Meanwhile, Ouattara and Gbagbo appeared to have reached a political understanding and it seamed likely that Ouattara would be allowed to stand as a candidate in the forthcoming parliamentary election.
International protests are general.
Voters turnout is low and in the north, the RDR Party effectively prevents the elections to take part. A coup attempt against the the newly-elected President Laurent Gbagbo by members of the armed forces is fought back after the rebels occupy the state television and radio one night and attack other national institutions. Several are killed, but loyal Government forces quickly manage to get control over the situation. Outtara's RDR is allowed to participate on full scale in the elections, which are seen as an important step in normalising the political situation in the country. Texts and graphics may be reproduced freely, under the condition that their origin is clearly referred to, see Conditions .