Highlights: Senegalese President Macky Sall proposed on Tuesday February 27 a new date for the presidential election for June 2. Part of the opposition criticizes an “illegal and non-negotiable proposal” Because the president would remain in office despite the end of his mandate on April 2, creating a legal vacuum. For the ruling party, this is “ bad faith ”. The Constitutional Council says that the election cannot be held on February 25 and asks authorities to organize the election as soon as possible.

While the national dialogue in Senegal, desired by President Macky Sall, proposed on Tuesday February 27 a new date for the presidential election for June 2, part of the opposition criticizes a…

Presidential election in Senegal: controversy around the new date

While the national dialogue in Senegal, desired by President Macky Sall, proposed on Tuesday February 27 a new date for the presidential election for June 2, part of the opposition criticizes an “

illegal and non-negotiable proposal

”.

Because the president would remain in office despite the end of his mandate on April 2, creating a legal vacuum.

For the ruling party, this is “

bad faith

”.

Senegalese President Macky Sall (C) watches the national dialogue in Diamniadio on February 26, 2024. © Seyllou / AFP

By: RFI Follow

For Amadou Ba, one of the leaders of the Diomaye Coalition president, who supports the candidate

Bassirou Diomaye Faye

, in prison, “

this

proposal
is totally illegal and non-negotiable

”.

If we take us back to four additional months, with, in addition, the proposition that President Macky Sall remains in power during this period, we consider that it is a fraud on the decisions of the Constitutional Council, which decided that the election cannot take place beyond the president's term which ends on April 2.

And secondly, that the president, by ricochets, cannot go beyond his mandate, this is the reason why he canceled the constitutional law which allowed Macky Sall to stay until December 15, which was the initial date planned to postpone the presidential election.

So this decision being canceled, the president wants to go through dialogue to bring these proposals back to the table, which is unacceptable and illegal.

We consider that strict application of the Council's decisions requires that a presidential election, within the framework of the first round, be held before the end of the mandate, which is April 2, and that in no way will President Macky Sall will be able to stay beyond April, which is the end of his mandate.

00:58

The national dialogue proposal is “totally illegal and non-negotiable”, according to the opposition of the former Pastef party

Esdras Ndikumana

On the side of the PDS party, which participated in the dialogue, we are pleased because their candidate

Karim Wade

could rejoin the list of candidates.

He had been rejected by the Constitutional Council, which criticized him for still having his dual Franco-Senegalese nationality at the time of submitting the applications, reports our correspondent in Dakar,

Juliette Dubois

But for

Babacar Gueye

, constitutionalist and member of the

citizen collective Aar Sunu Élections

(Protect our elections) who boycotted the dialogue, if the date is set for June 2, Macky Sall questions the decision of the Constitutional Council: he affirms that the jurisdiction demanded that the vote be organized as soon as possible, affirming that the duration of the mandate could not be extended.

We cross April 2, explains Babacar Gueye, and we find ourselves in a legal limbo from this date.

But nothing is final yet because the extension of Macky Sall's mandate and the reopening of the list of candidates must be arbitrated by the Constitutional Council.

The date could also be subject to appeal.

The opposition's criticisms are "

in bad faith

", believes Maguette Sy, the national secretary in charge of elections for the PDS party.

For him, the process has started and nothing can stop it:

Read alsoIn the news: the presidential election in Senegal set for June 2…

Frankly, I think that these people are talking nonsense.

They did not come to the dialogue, OK, it is their right, although, but everyone remains free.

I think that in any case, things will take their course.

It is not their speeches or their agitation that will stop things from happening.

The business is launched, it's launched.

First, the Constitutional Council never said that President Macky Sall and the competent authorities had to organize the election before April 2.

The Constitutional Council says that the election cannot be held on February 25 and asks the competent authorities to organize the election as soon as possible.

They know very well that the election cannot be held before April 2.

The Constitutional Council does not issue a decree to set a date, it is the President of the Republic who issues a decree.

And there, we have just left the dialogue, and you will see that it is the President of the Republic who will issue a decree to set the date of the election.

It is within their prerogatives and they know it very well.

00:59

The PDS accuses the opposition of being in “bad faith”

Esdras Ndikumana

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Presidential election in Senegal: controversy around the new date

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