In the bustling streets of Dakar, Senegal, political excitement is palpable as the presidential elections are the subject of heated discussion. Fifteen of the twenty candidates authorized to compete united to demand that the vote take place no later than April 2, the date corresponding to the end of the mandate of outgoing President Macky Sall.
Among these candidates are renowned figures such as Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the former mayor of Dakar, Khalifa Sall, both emphasizing the importance of respecting the electoral calendar and maintaining the list of candidates in the running.
Macky Sall’s proposal to postpone the elections for several months in order to resolve disputes over the eligibility of candidates faced a setback when the country’s highest court ruled the postponement unconstitutional. In response, Sall expressed his commitment to holding the elections “as soon as possible”.
Meanwhile, protests broke out in Dakar, with demonstrators urging President Sall to speed up the electoral process. Hundreds of people took to the streets chanting slogans against Sall’s alleged authoritarian tendencies and demanding the release of imprisoned opposition figures.
The postponement of the presidential election initially scheduled for February 25 sparked controversy, leading to clashes between protesters and security forces. The Constitutional Council’s decision to reject the postponement underscores the imperative to hold elections that are both timely and transparent to preserve democratic standards in Senegal.
Despite President Sall’s denials of intentions to extend his mandate, the population’s frustration has not diminished, fueling both local and international pressure for a rapid resolution of the political impasse.
The United States Government’s Office of African Affairs, in a statement on social media, welcomed the decision of the Constitutional Council, emphasizing the importance of restoring Senegal’s democratic trajectory through a timely electoral process.