KEY POINTS
- Senegal’s President faces a pivotal parliamentary contest that could impact his political influence.
- The race follows constitutional changes limiting presidential terms.
- Opposition seeks to reduce the president’s power in Senegal’s government.
Senegalese President Macky Sall is in a crucial parliamentary election that could define the country’s political future. According to Reuters, this election takes place at a time when political temperatures are high due to recent changes in the constitution on presidential term limits. The result could dramatically change its capacity to effectively implement the policies and remain influential in Senegal politics.
This race is very keenly observed since it may decide the supremacy between the presidency and the National Assembly. Sall, who declared in January that he will not run for a third term in the presidency, is confronted with an opposition that intends to weaken him by gaining a majority in the assembly.
Constitutional reforms cause political transition
The political atmosphere in Senegal has changed a lot with the constitutional changes that expressly bar the presidency for more than two terms. Although Sall’s decision not to run for the third term complies with these reforms, the leaders of the opposition insist that his party remains dominant within the government. Most people see the parliamentary race as a chance to change that balance.
That is why the opposition has aimed to gain a majority in the National Assembly to be able to put more pressure on Sall’s policies and to bring the country to a new model of decentralization. This is a new phenomenon in Senegalese politics, and for the first time parliament may become an effective check on the executive branch thereby deepening the democratic institutions of the country.
The opposition is now calling for checks on presidential power.
The opposition coalition has presented the parliamentary election as a process of restoring the separation of powers, with leaders calling for a parliament not subordinate to the executive branch. This momentum has shown a set of tendencies in the Senegalese society to guarantee sustainability of the democratic procedures, appearing in anticipation for the forthcoming presidential elections in Senegal in 2024.
For President Sall, to have his way in the National Assembly is fundamental for the implementation of his administration’s program of economic restructuring as well as development projects. Yet, given that the recently passed referendums on limiting presidential authority have gained popularity across Senegal, Sall’s party may have a very hard time maintaining its majority.
Waiting for the democratic change
The parliamentary election is regarded as a crucial contest for Senegal’s democracy since the people want leaders who will check the executive. It is for this reason that the analysts think that Senegal can benefit from a balanced government with active parliamentary oversight in a region that has been characterized by political instabilities.
Reuters reported that Senegal’s current political transition is of interest both nationally and internationally as people hope that the country will show a positive example for West Africa. In any case, Senegal seems to be on the brink of a new democratic transition with a strengthened parliament at the heart of the country’s development.
This form of democracy transition symbolizes that Senegal holds accountable governance of the party and serves as an indication of a mature political system delivering the results which the people of the country seek
