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Social unrest in Senegal over President Sall’s decision to delay elections
Senegal's President Macky Sall looks on during the EU Global Gateway Forum 2023, in Brussels, Belgium October 25, 2023. REUTERS/Johanna Geron
Riot police dispersed crowds attempting to assemble outside Senegal’s parliament on Monday, protesting against the president’s sudden postponement of elections over the weekend. As demonstrators chanted slogans, lawmakers within the National Assembly debated a bill aiming to reschedule the February 25 vote to August 25, extending President Macky Sall’s tenure until his successor is installed.
Sall’s announcement on Saturday has thrown the West African nation into uncharted constitutional territory, jeopardising its reputation as a democratic stronghold in a region marked by coups. Protester Mohammad Mbengue expressed concerns, stating, “They are trying to extend the president’s term, which is illegal and not allowed.”
Moody’s, a ratings agency, cautioned on Monday that a prolonged election delay could hinder the country’s planned fiscal consolidation, making policy implementation, including the phasing out of energy subsidies by 2025, more challenging. Senegal’s sovereign dollar bonds experienced a sharp decline, with the 2033 bond plummeting over 4 cents on the dollar to 82.4 cents, its most significant one-day fall since the 2020 COVID-19 market downturn.
Approximately 100 people gathered outside parliament on Monday, following confrontations the previous day, chanting “Macky Sall is a dictator.” Police responded with tear gas, pursued protesters into side streets, and made arrests. Mobile internet access was temporarily restricted, citing hate messages and threats to public order. Some schools sent students home early, and the Walf television channel reported being taken off air and having its license revoked.
The African Union joined other regional bodies and Western governments on Monday in urging the prompt setting of a new election date. President Sall, not seeking re-election due to term limits, cited a dispute over the candidate list and alleged corruption within the constitutional body as reasons for the election delay. The opposition Senegalese Democratic Party supported the delay, while civil society groups and opposition figures labeled it an “institutional coup.”
Some presidential contenders pledged to proceed with campaigns, with ex-Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall and opposition politician Aly Ngouille vowing to challenge the postponement in court. The announcement and ensuing outcry raised concerns of a repeat of past violent protests over fears of Sall seeking a third term and alleged sidelining of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
