Senegal: thousands of demonstrators in Dakar against a possible 3rd candidacy of Macky Sall

Thousands of demonstrators gathered at the call of the F24 platform in Dakar against a possible 3rd term of Macky Sall, May 12, 2023. © Charlotte Idrac / RFI

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2 min

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No to a possible 3rd candidacy of Macky Sall", this is essentially the watchword in the street in Dakar this Friday, May 12. The event was organized by the Platform of the Living Forces of the F24 Nation. The opposition does not want to see the head of state run for a third term in 2024.

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With our correspondent in Dakar, Charlotte Idrac

It is the F24 platform that brings together a hundred opposition parties, but also civil society organizations and trade unions. Instead of the nation, there are a lot of people, so it's hard to estimate their numbers. We see men, women, young people, older people, many flags, green, yellow, red scarves in the colors of Senegal and we can also hear vuvuzelas, songs. There are several thousand of them in any case.

Some support Ousmane Sonko. Some support Khalifa Sall or other candidates. To each his sign, but they all meet to ask that everyone can participate in the election. All except Macky Sall.

A protester with the Senegalese flag on the Place de la Nation in Dakar during a rally against a possible 3rd term of Macky Sall, May 12, 2023. © Charlotte Idrac / RFI

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We thought that the question of the 3rd mandate was behind us ", said a woman who took out her T-shirt a little worn today, from 2011-2012 to the time, she had already demonstrated against a 3rd term of President Abdoulaye Wade. On this top, one can read War wared "Dina Dem! ["He must leave", in French, Editor's note] " says another. "Macky Sall betrayed us. He had promised not to run again, "says a young man claiming to be a Republican. For many, this is a step backwards, a step backwards.

The atmosphere is good-natured and calm on the stage. There, the representatives of the platform began to speak, in the notable absence for the moment in any case of the mayor of Ziguinchor, Ousmane Sonko.

A test mobilization

This mobilization is a test for the recent F24 platform. This is its first manifestation. So there is the challenge of mobilization. It is also a test, because there are divisions, divergences within the platform, especially on whether or not to participate in the dialogue wanted by President Macky Sall.

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It's diversion," said a young person for whom the essential is elsewhere: The 3rd mandate, the instrumentalization of justice, according to him, prisoners qualified as political, governance. In any case, the demonstrators say they are determined. They say: "This is just the beginning. This is just a warning.

The rally dispersed around 19 p.m. GMT, the time when the demonstration was allowed to end.

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• Senegal
• Macky Sall