Crisis talks initiated by Senegal’s President Macky Sall entered their second day on Tuesday, with the primary objective of determining a new date for the presidential election that he had recently postponed. The country finds itself in the midst of its most severe political crisis in decades following Sall’s last-minute decision to defer the election scheduled for February 25.
President Sall, whose second term concludes on April 2, convened the talks after the Constitutional Council overturned the postponement. The Aar Sunu Election (Protect Our Election) collective, comprising over 100 civil society groups, called for nationwide city shutdowns and a general strike on Tuesday, advocating for the prompt execution of the election before Sall’s term concludes.
Despite the call for a strike, central districts of the capital Dakar seemed largely unaffected by mid-morning. Public transport continued, and businesses, like the bustling Colobane market, maintained their usual activities. Some individuals expressed concerns about their daily livelihoods, emphasizing the importance of work to sustain their families.
The civil society collective urged President Sall to take “all necessary steps to set the date and organize the 2024 presidential election before April 2.” Aar Sunu Election is part of a broader political and civic movement that gained momentum following Sall’s decision to postpone the election, resulting in protests and four fatalities.
In response to the crisis, President Sall initiated a two-day “national dialogue” in the town of Diamniadio, involving political leaders, civil society representatives, and religious figures. However, 17 of the 19 approved candidates, Aar Sunu Election, and other civil society groups boycotted the discussions, asserting that the dialogue was merely a stalling tactic.
Two committees engaged in deliberations on Tuesday to address the date of the presidential election and the organization of the period after April 2 until Sall’s successor is established. President Sall stated that he would decide on the election date after receiving the conclusions, without specifying a deadline.
While some participants in the national dialogue suggested that Sall continue in office until his successor is determined, the president, although not ruling out the possibility, expressed a preference for concluding his term promptly. Several potential presidential contenders have formally urged the Constitutional Council to hold Sall accountable for not fulfilling his duty to organize the poll.
