Demonstrators burn car tires in the street to protest the postponement of the presidential elections (Anatolia)

The authorities in Senegal announced the killing of a young man during protests against the postponement of the presidential elections in the country, while several cities witnessed unrest that many fear will lead to destabilization in the country for a long period.

The Senegalese Ministry of the Interior said that a student was killed in the city of Saint Louis during violent protests that broke out yesterday, Friday, against the decision to postpone the elections, while violent clashes broke out between security forces and protesters in Dakar, the country's capital, and other cities yesterday, Friday.

The Ministry stated - in a statement - that it had received information indicating the death of student Alpha Yero Tonkara, and that it would investigate the matter, but it denied the responsibility of its forces for his death, and said that “the defense and security forces did not intervene to maintain order on the university campus where the death occurred.”

Senegal has been witnessing demonstrations and clashes between security forces and demonstrators since Senegalese President Macky Sall announced last Saturday, February 3rd, that the presidential elections, which were scheduled to be held on the 25th of this month, were postponed indefinitely.

This is the first time since 1963 that presidential elections by direct universal suffrage have been postponed in Senegal.

to reject

The Senegalese opposition sharply criticized the postponement decision and called for demonstrations against it, and supporters of the opposition coalition - which includes several candidates - demanded that propaganda campaigns continue and the presidential elections not be postponed.

The Senegalese Parliament held a session last Monday, devoted to discussing a draft law submitted by the ruling coalition that allows the extension of the President of the Republic for a full year, which the opposition rejects.

The draft law stated that lawmakers will discuss today a proposal to hold elections on August 25, and to keep Sall in the presidency until the inauguration of his successor.

Many opposition candidates announced their intention to ignore the president's decision and continue their election campaigns.

Gendarmerie forces arrest demonstrators after President Sall announced the postponement of the presidential elections (Anatolia)

International concern

The Senegalese president's announcement to postpone the presidential elections also raised concern abroad, as the European Union confirmed on Sunday that postponing the elections would lead to a "period of uncertainty" in the country, calling for the elections to be held "as soon as possible."

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also expressed its concern about the circumstances that led to the postponement of the elections, and called for a new date to be set quickly.

Yesterday, the French Foreign Ministry urged the authorities to "remove the ambiguity surrounding the election timetable, so that they can be held as soon as possible and in accordance with the rules of Senegalese democracy."

Source: Al Jazeera + French + Reuters