Opposition raises concerns over delay in Senegal election

In Senegal, opposition candidates vying for the presidency have accused authorities of procrastination in setting a new date for the election following a court ruling deeming a 10-month postponement as unlawful. President Macky Sall, last week, committed to adhering to the Constitutional Council’s request to promptly schedule the vote. The court had earlier blocked Sall’s attempt to postpone the election, initially slated for Feb. 25, with the move facing both domestic and international pressure.

The delayed announcement of a new election date has heightened worries among opposition candidates, some urging for the vote to occur before Sall’s mandate concludes on April 2. In a joint statement on Tuesday, 16 out of the 19 presidential contenders expressed dissatisfaction with the “inexplicable slowness” in implementing the council’s decision. They alleged that the sluggish resumption of electoral operations indicated Sall’s reluctance to initiate a process leading to a change in power. The presidency did not provide any response to the concerns raised.

Justice Minister Aïssata Tall Sall, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, addressed the uncertainty surrounding the end of President Sall’s mandate on April 2, stating it was subject to debate. She remarked, “I do not know if the presidential election will happen (before April 2),” emphasizing that discussions on a potential power vacuum were a matter for legal and constitutional experts.

Senegal, known for its stable democracy, had never previously postponed a presidential vote. Many in the opposition interpreted the attempted postponement as a move by the president to extend his mandate through an “institutional coup.” President Sall, aged 62, is not seeking re-election, having reached the constitutional limit of two terms in power. He justified the need for the postponement by citing a dispute over the candidate list and allegations of corruption within the Constitutional Council, which the council denies. On Tuesday, the Constitutional Council published an amended list of 19 presidential candidates, with only one removal due to the candidate voluntarily withdrawing her application.

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