President Macky Sall postpones elections, to be held this month in response to complaints over the disqualification of numerous candidates. The two-term president, confirming he wouldn’t seek re-election, refrained from specifying a new date. The constitutional council’s exclusion of several candidates, including prominent politicians, stirred controversy. President Sall expressed concerns about the potentially damaging impact of these conditions on the ballot and announced plans for an open national dialogue to facilitate a free, transparent, and inclusive election in a peaceful Senegal. He said “I will initiate an open national dialogue to bring together the conditions for a free, transparent and inclusive election in a peaceful and reconciled Senegal,”
Macky Sall, on the decision to postpone the elections
Opposition Leaders Response
Opposition figure Khalifa Sall criticized the decision, labeling it a constitutional coup, and urged protests. On the other hand, Islamic clerics’ organizations cautioned against the vote’s postponement, citing potential destabilization.
In addition, the opposition PASTEF Party doesn’t like the decision to delay the election. Yassine Fall, Pastef’s Vice President, said to Al Jazeera, “We see this as a constitutional coup.” She added, “Macky Sall is not doing this for us; he is doing this against us. Macky Sall knows that if we have elections, we will win big. But he wants to stay in power or have someone from his party win. That’s why he plays these games to manipulate the institutions illegally.”
The decision to postpone the election seems unprecedented in a nation recognized for its stability in the West African region. The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) expressed concern in a statement and urged the authorities to expedite the processes for determining a new election date.
Candidates Barred from the Upcoming Elections as President Macky Sall postpones elections
Among the twenty candidates initially on the final list, opposition figure Ousmane Sonko, a prominent political personality, remains excluded from a libel conviction. Sonko, facing various legal challenges, claimed to be a target of a campaign to prevent his presidential candidacy.
Karim Wade, the son of a former president, was also barred from participating based on allegations of dual citizenship (French and Senegalese). He vehemently denied the accusation, and his supporters in parliament raised concerns about the neutrality of two judges on the candidate list panel.
Critics argue that the candidacy rules remain uniformly applied, a claim authorities deny. The development is negative for a country with strong democratic traditions in the West African region. President Macky Sall postpones elections, leaving the 20 candidates, and Senegalese people in turmoil. All are unsure of who will lead the country and when the election will happen.