“On April 2, 2024 my mission ends at the head of Senegal,” declared Senegalese President Macky Sall during an exchange with the Senegalese press on Thursday February 22. The outgoing head of state, on the other hand, left pending the date of the presidential election, which he had decreed to be postponed.
“As for the date, we will see what the dialogue will propose,” he said, referring to the political dialogue he intends to lead from Monday. “The election can be held before or after April 2,” he said. Asked about the possibility of it being held between now and April 2, he replied “I don’t think so”.
Serious political crisis
Senegal has been going through a serious political crisis for several weeks. At the beginning of the month, Macky Sall announced the indefinite postponement of the presidential election which was initially scheduled for this Sunday, February 25. The measure was then confirmed by the Senegalese Parliament, which moved the vote to December, 10 months later.
On February 15, the Constitutional Council of Senegal invalidated the postponement of the presidential election. The country’s highest judicial body then reaffirmed the principle of “intangibility” of the five-year duration of the presidential mandate.
The postponement of the election led to major demonstrations in the country – which left four dead – and provoked worried reactions abroad. The opposition denounced an “institutional coup”.
This Thursday, the Senegalese president said he was “ready” to release opposition figure Ousmane Sonko, incarcerated since the end of July 2023, to move towards “peaceful” elections.