Françis Wodié is an Ivorian politician and a former Minister of Higher Education. He completed his superior studies in France where he became actively implicated in politics by joining the Federation of Students from Black Africa in France (FEANF). Upon his return to the Ivory Coast, he suffered political persecution that forced him into exile. In 1966 he started his career as a Professor of Law at the University of Abidjan. Later he became the dean of the faculty of law at this University. He is one of the founders of SYNARES (National Union for Research and Higher Education) and of the Ivorian League of Human Rights. In 1990 he is elected as the leader of the Ivorian Worker’s Party. At the moment Wodié is one of the candidates for the Ivorian presidency.