President Macky Sall of Senegal has announced the indefinite postponement of the presidential election originally scheduled for February 25.
In a televised address to the nation on Saturday, President Sall disclosed that he had canceled the relevant electoral law, citing a dispute over the candidate list as the primary reason for the decision.
President Sall revealed that he signed a decree abolishing a November 2023 measure that had initially set the election date. He emphasized the need for an open national dialogue to establish conditions for a free, transparent, and inclusive election that fosters peace and reconciliation in Senegal. However, he did not provide a new date for the postponed election.
The Constitutional Council’s decision last month to exclude some prominent opposition members from the list of candidates triggered concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. Excluded candidates argued that the rules for candidacy were unfairly applied, a claim denied by the authorities.
President Sall acknowledged the troubled conditions surrounding the election, expressing concerns that they could undermine the credibility of the ballot by sowing the seeds of pre- and post-electoral disputes. The opposition Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), whose candidate Karim Wade was among those excluded, had formally requested the postponement of the vote.
However, not all factions of the opposition supported the decision to delay the election. Yassine Fall, Vice President of the opposition PASTEF Party, viewed the move as a “constitutional coup.” Fall criticized President Sall, alleging that the postponement was an attempt to manipulate institutions illegally to retain power or secure victory for his party.
As Senegal navigates this unprecedented delay, the nation is bracing for a period of heightened political tension. The postponement has intensified concerns about the state of democracy, with opposing viewpoints on whether President Sall’s decision is a necessary measure for a fair election or a calculated move to consolidate power.
