The Senegalese parliament is set to debate a bill that will extend the date for the next presidential election after President Macky Sall announced a postponement of the general election that was initially scheduled to be held on February 25, 2024.
Sall announced on Saturday that the Feb. 25 election is postponed to an unspecified date, attributing the delay to a dispute over the candidate list and alleged corruption within the constitutional body overseeing the list.
Meanwhile, the move has been criticized by certain opposition and civil society factions, branding it as an “institutional coup.”
Some political parties who were against the extension staged a protest rally on Sunday.
However, the Senegalese police fired tear gas on the gathering closed down a main thoroughfare.
While the discussion is ongoing, the parliament is ready to set a new date, August 25, for the general election.
The new bill before the lawmakers will further extend the presidency of Sall who has already spent a decade as the president of Senegal.
What opposition parties are saying
Reacting to the new development, one of the main opposition party leaders, Anta Babacar Ngom, was temporarily detained by the security agencies after a protest against the extension.
Taking to her X (formerly Twitter) account, she wrote that the country is facing an ordeal in its battle for democracy and justice.
- “This ordeal is a testimony to the challenges we face in our fight for justice and democracy in Senegal,” she said.
In addition, former Prime Minister of Senegal Aminata Touré in a separate post on X said she was escorted to the military police station moments after stepping out of her car.
ECOWAS Response to the Postponement
Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) issued a statement on Saturday following the announcement to postpone the election by President Sall.
The Communique lauded that president for shelving his initial plan to run for a third term, but also expressed concerns over the decision to postpone the election.
- “The ECOWAS Commission expresses concern over the circumstances that have led to the postponement of the elections and appeals to the competent authorities to expedite the various processes in order to set a new date for the elections. The Commission further urges the entire political class to prioritise dialogue and collaboration for transparent, inclusive, and credible elections.
- “The ECOWAS Commission salutes President Macky Sall for upholding his earlier decision not to run for another term and encourages him to continue to defend and protect Senegal’s long-standing democratic tradition,” the statement reads in part.
