Senegal is in the midst of a political crisis marked by clashes between police and protesters following President Macky Sall's announcement of an indefinite postponement of the presidential election originally scheduled for February 25, 2024. The move, accompanied by cancelling the electoral law due to a dispute over the candidate list, has triggered widespread demonstrations and garnered international concern.
In a televised address, President Sall revealed the cancellation of the relevant electoral law and the abolition of a November 2023 measure that had set the original election date. However, he still needs to provide a new date for the postponed election. Last month, the Constitutional Council in Senegal excluded several prominent opposition members from the list of candidates, further intensifying the political tensions.
The international community, including the European Union and the United States, has called for a swift determination of a new election date and emphasized the need for transparent and inclusive polls. The uncertainty resulting from the postponement has led to protests in the capital, Dakar, where police employed tear gas to disperse opposition supporters. The unrest has resulted in the arrest of at least one senior opposition figure, former Prime Minister Aminata Toure, a leading opposition figure who described the decision as an "unprecedented democratic regression."
Opposition supporters, waving Senegalese flags and donning the national football team jersey, took to the streets in response to the call from some opposition candidates. The security forces' reluctance to allow gatherings has further fueled tensions, with opposition figures suggesting that President Sall's decision is a ploy to cling to power or a constitutional coup.
The suspension of Walf TV, a private television channel, for "incitement to violence" during its coverage of the street protests highlights the heightened state of affairs. Additional protests are planned outside parliament, with lawmakers expected to debate a bill on scheduling the postponed election for August 25 and extending President Sall's mandate until his successor assumes office.
The international community, including France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has urged Senegal to work towards organizing transparent, inclusive, and credible elections as soon as possible. The crisis presents a significant challenge to Senegal's historically stable democracy, with analysts noting the test the country faces amid the recent surge in coups across the region.
Senegal's political tensions have escalated due to deadly clashes involving opposition supporters and the disqualification of two opposition leaders ahead of the crucial vote, marking a critical moment for one of Africa's traditionally stable democracies. The country's electoral code stipulates a minimum of 80 days between announcing a new presidential vote and polling day, theoretically putting the soonest possible new date in late April, just before President Sall's scheduled term ends on April 2.