Senegal’s presidential election saw anti-establishment candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye emerging as a strong contender for a first-round victory, following years of unrest and political turmoil.
The winning candidate will face the daunting task of leading Senegal, known as a bastion of democracy in coup-plagued West Africa, out of its recent challenges and effectively managing forthcoming revenues from its oil and gas reserves.
Faye, a 43-year-old opposition figure, campaigned on a platform promising significant change and advocating for left-wing pan-Africanism.
Preliminary results from individual polling stations, as reported by local media and social networks, showed Faye leading ahead of the governing coalition’s former prime minister, Amadou Ba.
In response to early indications of Faye’s success, five other contenders extended their congratulations to the opposition candidate, acknowledging his apparent victory in the first round of voting.
Among them, Anta Babacar Ngom, the sole female candidate, expressed her congratulations on social media.
Faye and Ba emerged as frontrunners in a crowded field of 17 candidates.
Supporters gathered at Faye’s campaign headquarters in Dakar celebrated late into the night, while a more subdued atmosphere prevailed among backers of Ba at his headquarters.
Radio and television stations relayed results from each of the 16,000 polling stations without aggregating them, with official results expected by the week’s end.
Faye has vowed to prioritize restoring national sovereignty, combating corruption, and promoting more equitable wealth distribution.
Additionally, he has pledged to renegotiate contracts in the mining, gas, and oil sectors signed with foreign companies.
Both Faye and Ba positioned themselves as champions for the country’s youth, with half of Senegal’s population under the age of 20.
“I voted for Diomaye without thinking,” remarked 26-year-old shopkeeper Diaraaf Gaye, emphasizing the need for fresh leadership to empower young people.
