Great media interest in the speech of the new Senegalese president (French)

Dakar

- “President Diomai Faye adheres to national reconciliation,” “Doumaye Faye’s major workshops,” and “Diomaye adheres to this,” a sample of the most prominent headlines in the Senegalese press’s coverage of the news of the victory of opposition candidate Basserou Diomaye Faye in the presidential elections.

The picture and name of the young president topped the front pages of Senegalese newspapers, as well as the front pages of press websites. The angles of coverage of the news of the victory and the contents of Basserou's first speech shortly after the elections converged, which brought the world's attention back to Senegal as a solid African model of democratic practice in alternating power.

President's promises

Senegalese newspapers published today (Tuesday) focused their headlines on the new president's first speech after confirming his victory in the elections.

Le Soleil newspaper headlined its front page with a headline that read, “The first appearance of President-elect Basserou Diomai Faye: I commit to...” and in its coverage, the newspaper reported that the new president praised the position of outgoing President Macky Sall, who had congratulated Basserou on his victory and considered his victory “A victory for Senegalese democracy,” she noted, “turning the page and getting to work,” and quoted the new president’s promise that he would exercise power “with humility and integrity.”

As for Al-Fajr daily, its cover headline is: “National reconciliation, combating corruption, reducing the cost of living... Diomay’s major workshops.” In dealing with the defeat of the ruling coalition candidate, Amadou Bah, in the elections, the newspaper considered that the ruling coalition’s “faltering” began in 2014. While she hinted at the disappointment of the electoral performance of former Dakar Mayor Khalifa Sall and former Prime Minister Idriss Seck.

The daily Le Coutoudien wrote in its headline, “The first appearance of the fifth president: Diumay presents his project.” The newspaper quoted the new president as saying, “The Senegalese people have chosen estrangement,” and it also referred to his praise of his ally, the Senegalese opposition, Ousmane Sonko.

"Help Basiro!"

Commenting on the details of the first appearance of the new President of Senegal, the newspaper “Source A” carried a headline that read, “Everything is written in a book... Let’s help Basserou!”, indicating that the young president’s first speech was written and prepared in advance and he had not practiced delivering it sufficiently. .

Under the title, “Bassero Diomai Dijar Faye...oppositionist in power!”, journalist on the “Dakar Acto” website Andi-Mathi Dieng wrote an article that she opened by saying, “Happy birthday, dear president,” referring to the day of the announcement of the election results coinciding with the anniversary of Diomai Faye’s birth. .

The writer goes on to say, “Even in his wildest dreams, the Ndiaganyaw child never imagined that he would one day lead the fate of Senegal!” She refers to Fay’s upbringing in a humble family, and to his being a “pure product” of Senegalese public schools, and touches on the role of his comrade Sonko in creating and exporting his political career. To compete in the presidential elections.

The writer quotes the new president as saying, "I did not intend to get involved in politics. When you have a political father, at first glance you hate politics because you will notice his lack of time... the difficulty of commitment and the frequent absence of the father."

Senegalese journalist Tierno Bashir: Press coverage of the vote counting was careful in declaring a winner in the first round (Al Jazeera)

Careful follow-up

Senegalese journalist Tierno Bachir believes that the press faced a major challenge in covering the presidential elections, which is “situational sensitivity,” explaining that the country is just emerging from a severe crisis, and therefore it has become necessary for the press to very carefully avoid creating any “loophole” that might lead to the outbreak of a crisis. New.

He points out that the Senegalese press was aware of this challenge in its coverage of the elections, especially at the stage of counting votes and announcing the results. Bashir adds, "We are in a time when the spread of false news is increasing, especially on social media."

He confirms that the press coverage of the vote counting was careful in declaring a winner in the first round, and was content with keeping up with the preliminary results moment by moment until it became clear that Diomay Faye had won. He considers that the Senegalese press coverage of the presidential elections was “appropriate,” adding, “All means were available and the atmosphere was calm and stable.” ".

As for the Senegalese journalist, Mohamed El-Amine Guy, he draws attention to the fact that the high turnout rate in these elections compared to the 2019 elections gained space in the coverage of Senegalese newspapers, noting that some newspapers considered that this indicator makes the new president “more legitimate in the eyes of the Senegalese,” as confirmed by “the high turnout rate.” Political awareness among voters.

Muhammad Al-Amin Guy notes that “daily newspapers did not pay much attention to the meager results obtained by the losing candidates, despite the decline of some, such as Idris Seck and Khalifa Sall, at the level of their political bases.”

New Senegalese President Basserou Diomaye Faye delivers his first speech after the victory (Anadolu Agency)

First speech

The interest of Senegalese newspapers in the contents of the president-elect’s first speech and his political messages at home and abroad reflects the state of anticipation that characterizes the public scene in Senegal, in light of the ongoing transfer of power, or what the new president called “the estrangement,” and the rise of the youngest Senegalese president to power, an anticipation that indicates hope and caution. Together in a country whose regional surroundings have been rife for years with major transformations in terms of governance patterns, alliances, and foreign policy orientations.

It appears, from the general picture of the Senegalese press’s keeping up with the landmark presidential elections in the country’s history, that the existence of an independent press is an essential pillar of the democratic traditions that have made Senegal a remarkable model of peaceful alternation of power in Africa.

Source: Al Jazeera