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The government of Ivory Coast takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Ivory Coast is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The capital since 1983 is Yamoussoukro; however, Abidjan remains the administrative center. Most countries maintain their embassies in Abidjan, although some (including the United Kingdom) have closed their missions because of the continuing violence and attacks on Europeans. The population continues to suffer because of an ongoing civil war. International human rights organizations have noted problems with the treatment of captive non-combatants by both sides and the re-emergence of child slavery among workers in cocoa production. Since the incident on 19 September 2002 (see History of Ivory Coast), a civil war broke out, and the north part of the country has been seized by the rebels, the ''New Forces'' (FN). A new presidential election was expected to be held in October 2005. However, this new election could not be held on time due to delay in preparation and has been postponed to October 2006 after an agreement was reached amongst the rival parties. After a long delay, elections were finally held in 2010. ==Civil war== Troops, mostly hailing from the north of the country, mutinied in the early hours of September 19, 2002. They soon after launched attacks in many cities, including Abidjan. By lunchtime, they had control of the north of the country. Their principal claim relates to the definition of who is a citizen of Ivory Coast (and so who can stand for election as president), voting rights and their representation in government in Abidjan. The events in Abidjan shows that it is not a tribal issue, but a crisis of transition from a dictatorship to a democracy, with the clashes inherent in the definition of citizenship. Forces involved in the conflict include: * Government forces, the National Army (FANCI), also called ''loyalists'', formed and equipped essentially since 2003 * The ''Young Patriots'': nationalist groups aligned with President Laurent Gbagbo * Mercenaries recruited by President Gbagbo: * * allegedly, Belarusians * * some former combatants of Liberia, including under-17 youths, forming the so-called "Lima militia" () * ''New Forces'' (Forces Nouvelles, FN), ex-northern rebels, who hold 60% of the country; their political expression is the ''Mouvement patriotique de Côte d'Ivoire'', or MPCI * French forces: troops sent within the framework of Operation Unicorn and under UN mandate (United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire), 3000 men in February 2003 and 4600 in November 2004; * Soldiers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), ''White helmets'', also under the UN.
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