On June 17th, former President Laurent Gbagbo returned to the Ivory Coast after being acquitted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Arrested nearly 10 years ago and taken to Brussels, his arrival was marked by large crowds of supporters and celebrants. But considering the violence that ensued after his refusal to step down to incumbent President Alassane Ouattara, tensions remain high even as reconciliation is touted.

Coming into office in 2000, Gbagbo oversaw a decade of turbulence. This began with a military mutiny in 2002, which split the West African nation in half. His presidency ended with his refusal to concede the election to the current president, Ouattara, in 2010. The election violence saw over 3,000 people killed, clouding Ivorian politics to this day. Gbagbo’s 2019 acquittal was immediately appealed and then upheld earlier this year, paving the way for his return to Africa and the Ivory Coast.

Needless to say, reactions have been mixed. Although he enjoys popular support (especially in his stronghold, the economic capital of Abidjan), the loudest critics have been those who lost loved ones in 2010’s election violence. Nevertheless, his political opponents have seemed welcoming to him.

Former President Henri Konan Bedie, who held office from 1993 to 1999, welcomed him back as a “younger brother” on Twitter. Although these two men have enjoyed a hot-and-cold relationship, the reaction of incumbent President Ouattara is markedly more important. It is notable that Ouattara has given Gbagbo the perks of a former president, including the use of the presidential pavilion at the airport, a pension, and personal security. Considering that it was the rivalry between these two that sparked the clashes 10 years ago, this seems like a significant step in the right direction.

Yet, it is important to keep in mind that Gbagbo is still seen as an important, and active, political opponent to the incumbent president. Ouattara even presided over his own electoral violence last year, which saw at least 85 deaths. The reason? He refused to step down even though his term limit had been reached. Gbagbo faces his own roadblock in the form of a 20-year prison sentence that was handed down in 2019, on charges that he misappropriated funds from a regional central bank.

But even as Gbagbo faces a potential prison sentence, it is difficult to imagine that he will be forced to serve it. Regardless of how separate the regional central bank may be from the executive branch, there is enough tension to cry foul if these charges are laid. Considering the support behind Gbagbo, a prison sentence would likely lead to violence between his supporters and the government. For now, plenty of lip service has been paid to reconciliation: presidential perks have been re-issued and enemies, both old and new, have welcomed him back.

Nevertheless, it goes without saying that political miscalculations could easily bring tensions to new heights. The best path forward also happens to be the most naïve. Longstanding opponents meeting one another, hat in hand, is both necessary and difficult to suppose.