Title: Candidates for the presidential election of Senegal in 2022: an overview of the personalities in the running
Introduction :
The campaign to collect citizen sponsorships for Senegal’s presidential election in 2022 began this Wednesday, marking a crucial step for candidates wishing to run for the highest office. At this stage, 75 Senegalese, mostly men, have declared their candidacy. Among them, we find former prime ministers such as Idrissa Seck, Amadou Ba and Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne, but also well-known political figures such as Khalifa Sall and Aminata Touré. However, questions remain regarding the candidacy of Karim Wade and the situation of Ousmane Sonko, sentenced to a prison sentence. This sponsorship stage is essential to assess the credibility of the candidates, and only five candidates were validated out of the 27 registered during the last presidential election in 2019.
Analysis of the candidates in the running:
Among the candidates declared for the Senegalese presidential election in 2022, certain names are particularly attracting attention. Idrissa Seck, who already held the post of Prime Minister from 2002 to 2004, is a regular on the Senegalese political scene. His candidacy is closely followed by political observers, who believe that he has solid government experience.
Amadou Ba, currently serving as Prime Minister, has also launched his candidacy for the presidential election. The move has sparked questions about the effect it might have on his management of the country’s day-to-day affairs during the election period.
Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne, who served as head of government from 2014 to 2019, is also on the list of declared candidates. His record as prime minister will be a key part of his election campaign.
The presence of Khalifa Sall, former mayor of Dakar, in the list of candidates is also notable. Sall is liked by some voters for his work as mayor, but has also been convicted of embezzlement of public funds, which could impact his candidacy.
Aminata Touré, former chief of staff to Macky Sall and Prime Minister from 2013 to 2014, also took the plunge by declaring herself a candidate for the presidential election. His experience in public administration gives him a certain credibility.
However, certain uncertainties remain regarding the candidacy of Karim Wade, son of former Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade. Although there are rumors that he might run for the Senegalese Democratic Party, no official statement has been released to date.
As for Ousmane Sonko, he is faced with a delicate situation. Sentenced to a prison sentence of more than three months, he would be automatically removed from the electoral lists in accordance with the Senegalese electoral code. However, his lawyers contest this removal, claiming that their client was not informed of this decision.
Conclusion :
The campaign to collect citizen sponsorships for Senegal’s presidential election in 2022 has been launched, and 75 candidates, mainly men, have declared their intention to run. Among them are former prime ministers, well-known political figures and controversial figures. The coming months will be crucial to assess the credibility of these candidacies and determine the forces present in this electoral battle. Only five candidates were validated during the last presidential election in 2019, which shows the importance of this sponsorship stage. All eyes are now on the candidates and their ability to convince Senegalese voters.