Senegal: Macky Sall leaves the date of the presidential election pending
During an interview with the Senegalese press, President Macky Sall did not set an official date for the presidential election, which he had decreed to be postponed.
At the same time, he assured that his term as head of the country would end as planned on April 2, indicating that it was unlikely that the name of his successor would be known before that date.
[Illustrative image] President of Senegal, Macky Sall, during the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) at UN headquarters on September 19, 2023 in New York.
© Getty Images via ADAM GRAY / AFP
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It was a highly anticipated speech.
While
Senegal
was hanging on to the words of the Head of State on the presidential election, the latter left the date of the presidential election, initially scheduled for February 25, in abeyance.
However, he affirmed that it will be given at the end of a two-day dialogue with all political actors and
civil society in the country
, which will take place next Monday and Tuesday, February 26 and 27.
Macky Sall called on his compatriots to be patient.
“The date cannot be set until we have each other’s arguments,” he explained.
Ultimately, it will be up to the Constitutional Council to decide.
“
I do not want to be the subject of a sterile controversy in relation to ambitions which are not mine
,” he nevertheless warned.
“
On April 2, my mission ends at the head of Senegal
,” added the president.
However, “
the election can be held before or after April 2
,” he added.
Asked about the possibility of it being held between now and April 2, he replied: “
I don’t think so.
»
Already, during a Council of Ministers on Wednesday evening,
the Senegalese president
had asked that all measures be taken “
for a good organization of the presidential election
”.
“
At a date which will be set very soon
,” he said, after consultations with political actors and civil society leaders.
It is difficult to know if the exchanges started last week are over, because nothing has officially filtered out of the discussions he allegedly held, reports our correspondent in Dakar,
Léa-Lisa Westerhoff
.
The only certainty:
impatience is starting to be felt
.
Sixteen of the 19 candidates denounced on Wednesday an “
inexplicable slowness
” in the organization of this presidential election.
The presidency accused of “
dragging its feet
”
As for consultations, the majority of candidates in the race, as well as the main actors of civil society, have already explained that the discussions should only serve to agree on a date, to obtain a vote before the April 2 and the official end of the mandate of President Macky Sall.
For example, the camp of
the opponent Bassirou Diomaye Faye
, replacing Ousmane Sonko in the presidential election, accused the president on Wednesday evening of “
dragging his feet
”.
He will only agree to discuss to set “
without delay
” the date of the presidential election, he warned in a press release.
This postponement of the presidential election, denounced as a "
constitutional coup d'état
" by the opposition, caused a commotion in public opinion and demonstrations which left four dead.
The Constitutional Council
also vetoed
this postponement last week and asked the authorities to organize it “
as soon as possible
”.
Despite speculation about the temptation to force a move, President Sall said the next day his intention to respect the Council's decision and to carry out "
without delay the necessary consultations
" for the organization of the vote.
(
And with
AFP)
Read alsoPresidential election in Senegal: reactions and analyzes after the cancellation of the postponement by the Constitutional Council
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