Senegal, one of Africa’s most stable democracies, is set to hold its presidential election on March 24, 2024, after the constitutional council validated the new date on Thursday.
The announcement came as a relief to many Senegalese who feared a prolonged political crisis and violence following the government’s attempt to postpone the vote by 10 months, citing an electoral dispute over some candidacies.
The postponement sparked widespread protests in the capital Dakar and other cities, as well as condemnation from the opposition, civil society groups, and international observers. They accused President Macky Sall of trying to extend his mandate and undermine the democratic process.
Sall, who came to power in 2012, had initially proposed an amnesty bill to ease tensions and pave the way for the release of Bassirou Faye, a popular opposition leader who was sentenced to two years in prison for “immoral behaviour” in a separate case.
However, the constitutional council rejected the bill and ruled that the election must be held before Sall’s term expires on April 2, 2024. Sall then accepted the decision and scheduled the election for March 24, 2024.
A crowded field of candidates
The constitutional council also approved 19 candidates out of 27 who had submitted their applications to run for the presidency. Among them are Prime Minister Amadou Ba, who is Sall’s chosen successor and the candidate of the ruling Alliance for the Republic (APR) party, and Idrissa Seck, a former prime minister and the leader of the Rewmi party, who came second in the 2019 election.
Other notable candidates include Khalifa Sall, a former mayor of Dakar who was pardoned by Sall in 2019 after serving two years for embezzlement, and Ousmane Sonko, a firebrand opposition figure and the leader of the Patriotic Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF) party, who was banned from running in 2019 due to a conviction for defamation and public insults.
The candidates have little time to campaign and mobilize their supporters, as the official campaign period starts on February 25 and ends on March 22. They will also have to contend with the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 50,000 people and killed over 1,000 in the country, according to the World Health Organization.
A test for Senegal’s democracy
The March 24 election will be a crucial test for Senegal’s democracy, which has been praised for its peaceful transfers of power, vibrant civil society, and independent judiciary. The country has never experienced a coup d’etat or a civil war, unlike many of its neighbours.
However, the recent political turmoil has exposed some cracks in the system, such as the lack of trust between the government and the opposition, the influence of money and patronage in politics, and the dissatisfaction of the youth and the poor with the economic and social situation.
Analysts say that the election will be a close and competitive race, with no clear frontrunner and a high possibility of a second round runoff. They also warn that the outcome could be contested and trigger more protests and unrest, especially if there are allegations of fraud or irregularities.
To avoid such a scenario, they urge all the stakeholders to respect the rule of law, the electoral code, and the verdict of the constitutional council. They also call for a peaceful and inclusive dialogue among the political actors, the civil society, and the media, to ensure a credible and transparent election that reflects the will of the Senegalese people.
Senegal has a history of overcoming political challenges and preserving its democratic values. The March 24 election will be another opportunity for the country to demonstrate its resilience and maturity, and to consolidate its reputation as a model of democracy in Africa.
Source: Reuters
