Why Senegal's election is delayed and what it means

Senegal is on the edge. The West African nation has delayed its presidential election, which was slated for 25 February, to December. This came after its parliament witnessed chaos as security forces forcibly removed Opposition lawmakers amid voting on a bill to extend President Macky Sall’s tenure, which is due to end on 2 April, until the new polls. The latest development for the beleaguered region comes in the backdrop of three countries in West Africa – Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali  – witnessing coups over the past few years. But what happened? And what does this mean for the nation? Let’s take a closer look: What happened? Till now, Senegal has been a pillar of democracy for the region. Since gaining independence from France in 1960, the country has never witnessed a coup. As per The Economist, Senegal, until now, had never delayed a presidential election. Its leader, President Sall, has until now even taken the lead in trying to push Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali back to the democratic path.

But political tensions have run high in Senegal for at least a year.  

Tensions had soared over speculation that Sall was considering running for a third term, until he eventually confirmed last July that he would not stand again. But Sall on Saturday, just as campaigning was set to begin, suddenly announced he was postponing the polls. Sall cited an electoral dispute between the parliament and the judiciary regarding controversies over the disqualification of some candidates and allegations of corruption in election-related cases. Sall said he had signed a decree repealing the law that convened the electoral body. He also said some of the 20 candidates cleared to run were discovered to have dual nationality, which would disqualify them under the Senegalese constitution. The controversies over the candidates “could seriously harm the credibility of the election by creating the seeds of pre- and post-electoral litigation,” Sall said.

Violence had previously broken out in Senegal over fears Sall would try to extend his tenure beyond the end of his second term, and he has previously insisted he would not.

The announcement came as federal lawmakers were set to deliberate on a bill on the postponement as requested by the Opposition Senegalese Democratic Party, whose candidate was disqualified from the election. [caption id=“attachment_13639692” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Supporters of Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko attend a demonstration in front of the court in Dakar, Senegal. Reuters File[/caption] Among those disqualified was Ousmane Sonko, who finished third in the 2019 presidential election and is seen as a favourite among young people. He has alleged a clampdown on the Opposition, which Sall’s government denies. After the Constitutional Council published a final list of candidates two weeks ago, federal lawmakers set up a panel to investigate two judges on the council who were accused of corruption. The allegation was rejected by the association of Senegal’s judges, who called for respect for the separation of powers. As per The Economist, Karim Wade, the son of a former president was also barred from the polls. Wade’s party, which has accused the council of corruption, has demanded a six-month pause for the election. Sall described the aftermath of the accusations as a “sufficiently serious and confusing situation.” “Our country cannot afford a new crisis,” he added. Critics of the postponement included former prime minister Aminata Touré, who called it “sabotage.” “For a long time, they have sabotaged the process. This is the first time that a presidential election has been postponed in Senegal,” Touré said. Opposition leaders and candidates reacted with fury. The Economist quoted Khalifa Sall as calling it a “a constitutional coup,” while Thierno Alassane Sall dubbed it “high treason”. On Monday, security forces stormed the legislative building and forcefully removed several Opposition lawmakers who were trying to block the voting process. Authorities also restricted mobile internet access amid growing protests by Opposition supporters against the delay. As the lawmakers debated the bill, security forces fired tear gas at protesters gathered outside the legislative building. Many of the protesters were arrested as they poured into the streets of the capital, Dakar, burning tires and criticising the country’s leader. On Monday, two Opposition parties filed a court petition challenging the election delay. It was not clear what would become of their request for Senegal’s Constitutional Council to direct “the continuation of the electoral process.” The private Walf television network, whose signal was cut off as they broadcast the protests on Sunday, said their broadcasting license has been revoked. Violent street protests rocked the capital Dakar on Sunday, and two Opposition candidates, including former prime minister Touré, were arrested and later released. The Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Economy said mobile internet services were cut Monday “due to the dissemination of several hateful and subversive messages relayed on social networks in the context of threats and disturbances to public order.” What does this mean for the nation? Experts say Senegal is in uncharted waters. “The decision has thrown Senegal into uncharted waters of a constitutional crisis,” Mucahid Durmaz, senior West Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, told the BBC. “The constitution requires elections to be organised at least 30 days before the end of the incumbent president’s mandate. Sall’s rule expires on 2 April. And the decree detailing the electoral calendar must be released 80 days before the vote takes place. Even if he appoints a transitional president after 2 April, the legality of it will be disputed.” Wole Ojewale, Dakar-based regional co-ordinator for Central Africa at the Institute for Security Studies told the outlet there is no justification for the delay.

“The president is not in charge of the electoral process, and to the extent to which the electoral umpire has not raised doubts about their capacity to undertake the election. I don’t think anything should derail the political process,” Ojewale said.

[caption id=“attachment_12941332” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Senegalese Opposition leader Ousmane Sonko has been disqualified from running in the election. AP File[/caption]

Sall’s decision to postpone the election “reflects a sharp democratic decline” in Senegal, said Mucahid Durmaz, a senior analyst at global risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft.

Some claim Sall feared losing the 25 February polls.

Sall has designated Prime Minister Amadou Ba from his party as his would-be successor.

“His [President Sall’s] party is losing momentum. There are indications that they probably want to see how they can rejig, or probably replace their candidate,” Ojewale said. “Senegal has been known as a country with a strong democracy but this is no longer the case,” one protester who only gave his first name, Dame, told Reuters. “The only thing we want is a fair election.” Demonstrator Malick Diouf, 37, said he had no preferred candidate and did not even have a voting card, but felt it crucial to come and protest. “The main thing for me is to say ‘no’ to this political agenda, this coup de force to try to stay in power,” he told AFP. The proposed delay has sparked international concern, with the United States, European Union and France all appealing for the election to be rescheduled as soon as possible. The chairman of the African Union commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat also urged Senegal to resolve its “political dispute through consultation, understanding and dialogue”. [caption id=“attachment_13696712” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Senegalese riot police lobs tear gas at supporters of Opposition presidential candidate Daouda Ndiaye in Dakar, Senegal, Sunday. AP[/caption] Human Rights Watch warned that Senegal risked losing its democratic credentials. “Senegal has long been considered a beacon of democracy in the region. This is now at risk,” it said in a statement. “Authorities need to act to prevent violence, rein in abusive security forces, and end their assault on Opposition and media. They should respect freedom of speech, expression, and assembly, and restore internet, putting Senegal back on its democratic course.”

Experts also say that Senegal’s reputation as being a beacon of democracy in the region is at stake.

“The growing democracy deficit not only threatens to tarnish Senegal’s reputation as a beacon of democratic stability in the region but also emboldens anti-democratic practices in West Africa,” said Durmaz. The African Union urged the government to organize the election “as soon as possible” and called on everyone involved “to resolve any political dispute through consultation, understanding and civilized dialogue.” But don’t look for any help from regional blocs like Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). “I do not expect a firm push by ECOWAS to reverse the postponement of the election in Senegal,” Durmaz told BBC. He said the reputation of such groups “has been significantly tarnished due to their inability to confront the democratic deficit in civilian-run countries.” The crisis has led to fears of the kind of violent unrest that broke out in March 2021 and June 2023, which resulted in dozens of deaths and hundreds of arrests. “We will not accept a constitutional coup in this country. It is up to the people to come out and liberate themselves,” said Guy Marius Sagna, an activist and Opposition lawmaker. “The government’s abrupt shutdown of internet access via mobile data and Walf TV’s broadcasting … constitutes a blatant assault on the right to freedom of expression and press rights protected by Senegal’s constitution,” Amnesty International’s regional office for West and Central Africa said in a statement. With inputs from agencies