Senegal/ Presidential : Through the postponement of the election, Macky Sall secures an extension of his mandate
The announcement by Macky Sall of the postponement of the presidential election initially scheduled for February 25th in Senegal could mark the beginning of an unprecedented political crisis. However, the outgoing President had promised in late December to hand over power to the elected president by early April following the election.
The Head of State, Macky Sall, nearing the end of his mandate, announced on Saturday the repeal of the decree convening the electoral body, thereby canceling the presidential election.
Macky Sall is thus renouncing to convene the electoral body just hours before the start of the electoral campaign and announcing a postponement of the presidential election scheduled for February 25, 2024. However, the outgoing President did not provide a new date for the election.
Meanwhile, Thérèse Faye, Minister of Community Development, had declared on Friday, during a televised interview, that she was « in favor of a postponement » of « at least 6 months ».
But Macky Sall assures that the postponement of the presidential election is to « not interfere » with the work of a parliamentary commission investigating two judges of the constitutional council.
While there were many presidential candidates, the Constitutional Council chose to exclude dozens of contenders from the election, including two opposition heavyweights, the anti-system candidate Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade, minister and son of former President Abdoulaye Wade (2000-2012). However, Macky Sall promises a framework for a national dialogue for a successful outcome of the election.
« I will initiate an open national dialogue to create the conditions for a free, transparent, and inclusive election ». said Macky Sall.
But the opposition does not agree. It criticizes this decision, however, « very rare » in the land of Senghor. Opposition leader Khalifa Sall, one of the main presidential candidates, called on the entire country on Saturday to « rise up » against the postponement of the election.
This call led to clashes on Sunday between opposition supporters and security forces who used tear gas before facing stone-throwing. Opponents and presidential candidates were even arrested while participating in the demonstration.
Authorities suspended the signal of the private television station Walf TV, which they accused of « incitement to violence » following the broadcast of images of the protests. The Walf group announced on social media a « definite withdrawal of its license by the State ».
Several opposition candidates nevertheless announced on Sunday to the press and on social media that they will defy President Macky Sall’s decision and ensure that they will launch their election campaign as planned on Sunday.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also expressed its « concern about the circumstances that led to the postponement of the election »   and called on « competent authorities to facilitate procedures to set a new date ».
The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs also called on Sunday for Senegal to dispel the « uncertainties » created by the postponement of the presidential election and to hold the election «as soon as possible »
For now, the country is caught between an opposition facing a probable « extension of Macky Sall’s mandate » and a government that has already lost the support of the Minister Secretary-General of the Government Abdou Latif Coulibaly. The latter, indeed, submitted his resignation on Saturday after the announcement of the postponement of the election.
