In Senegal, an extraordinary session of the National Assembly opened, arousing strong reactions and attracting the attention of the population. This session focuses on the modification of the electoral law, a revision which could allow opponents Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade to present themselves in the next presidential election of 2024.
The announcement of this session was enthusiastically received by supporters of Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade, who were excluded from the last presidential election due to court convictions. This revision of the electoral law would thus pave the way for their participation in the next election.
This initiative is the result of a collaboration between the presidential coalition Benno Bokk Yaakaar, the Senegalese Democratic Party of Abdoulaye Wade and the Taxawu Senegal party of Khalifa Sall. According to Aly Mané, member of the presidential coalition, this revision aims to improve the political environment by allowing convicted persons to stand for election.
However, this modification of the electoral law also arouses controversy. Some fear that it promotes impunity by allowing convicted figures to gain power. Others worry about equal opportunities in the presidential contest, while other candidates, such as Ousmane Sonko, face legal action.
The question of the eligibility of Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade is also closely linked to the recent legal saga of Ousmane Sonko, whose party was dissolved by the authorities and who is currently imprisoned. Sonko’s supporters argue that he should also be allowed to run for office and promise to do everything possible to ensure his participation.
This extraordinary session of the National Assembly therefore carries important political stakes for Senegal. It arouses mixed reactions within the population, between hope for the supporters of Khalifa Sall and Karim Wade and concern about the impact on the fairness of the electoral competition.
It remains to be seen how the debates will unfold and what decisions will be made regarding the modification of the electoral law. In any case, this political news is particularly followed and discussed on the media and social networks, testifying to the importance and interest given to democracy in Senegal.