Ivory Coast's constitutional council overruled on Saturday challenges to the outcome of last week's presidential election, sending President Laurent Gbagbo and a rival into a run-off later this month. The decision came just hours after the West African country's main opposition parties demanded a recount, citing irregularities in a much-delayed vote which aims to end deadlock in a nation split by a 2002-2003 civil war.

In a public ruling, the council confirmed preliminary results which gave Gbagbo around 38 per cent of the vote, followed by Alassane Ouattara, who took 32 percent. A second round is needed because no candidate won an absolute majority. Council president Paul Yao N'Dre also named Nov. 21 as the date for the decisive second round between Gbagbo and Ouattara -- a week earlier than initially had been scheduled.