During parliamentary proceedings on Monday, it was revealed that the new voting date for Senegal’s presidential election is December 15 instead of the originally scheduled February 25.
This postponement means President Macky Sall, whose second and final term was supposed to conclude on April 2, will remain in office until his successor assumes power.
Sall cited the need for an inquiry into the role of two judges in validating candidates after the disqualification of opposition leader Karim Wade and the exclusion of popular opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.
The decision to delay the election came just days before campaigning began. Most of the ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition MPs supported the call for an inquiry into the candidate verification process.
The postponement of the presidential elections has unsettled investors, leading to a decline in Senegal’s Eurobonds. Analysts fear that this delay could pose challenges to improving government finances.
There are concerns that the election crisis could exacerbate instability in West Africa, especially given the region’s ongoing challenges with coups and threats to democratic institutions.
The postponement, a first in Senegal’s history, sparked protests on Sunday, with opposition leaders denouncing it as a “constitutional coup.” Further demonstrations were expected.
Protests escalated into clashes between protesters and security forces along a main thoroughfare out of the capital, Dakar. Mobile internet access was also restricted to prevent disruptions to public order.
Last June, Senegal implemented measures to disrupt internet access on mobile phones following clashes between supporters of disqualified opposition leader Ousmane Sonko and security forces.
According to Top10VPN, Senegal suffered a loss of $57.5 million due to 3,946 hours of internet shutdown, affecting 8.01 million people in 2023. The country ranked 9th globally for having the most expensive internet shutdowns.
