The top election authority in Senegal has declared the government's postponement and rescheduling of the presidential election to be unconstitutional. Senegal's Constitutional Council nullified the decree signed by President Macky Sall which delayed the election from its original date of February 25th and rescheduled it for December. Additionally, the Council deemed the National Assembly's decision to change the date to be contrary to the constitution.
This ruling has plunged Senegal into a state of political turmoil, leaving uncertain whether the election can proceed as initially scheduled or if more time will be required for political campaigns. President Sall has not yet made any public comments in response to the ruling. In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Sall had refrained from commenting on whether he would accept the court's decision if it rejected the delay, stating that he would decide his course of action at that point.
The decision to postpone the election was made just hours before campaigns were set to begin, citing a dispute between the judiciary and the legislature regarding the final list of candidates, as well as potential issues with dual nationality among certain candidates. The opposition leaders vehemently rejected this postponement, leading to violent clashes with security forces during protests. The unrest also resulted in numerous arrests and mobile internet cuts, further exacerbating the political tensions in what is traditionally considered one of Africa's most stable democracies.
This year's election in Senegal has been marred by a series of controversies. Deadly protests earlier in the year prompted President Sall to announce that he would not seek a third term. Furthermore, two opposition leaders were disqualified from participating in the race, sparking accusations against President Sall of attempting to cling to power beyond the constitutional limit. However, the Senegalese leader has consistently denied these allegations and asserted that he postponed the vote to avoid jeopardizing the country's stability amid the electoral dispute.
The ruling by the Constitutional Council has thrown the upcoming presidential election into uncertainty. It remains to be seen how the government and opposition will respond and whether a resolution can be reached to ensure a fair and peaceful election process. The eyes of the nation and international observers will be closely watching as Senegal navigates through this challenging period in its democratic journey.
