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Senegal’s President Macky Sall said that his decision to postpone the elections to December was necessary to prevent electoral chaos as protests on account of the delayed elections are continuing across the country
Senegal’s President Macky Sall said that his decision to postpone the elections to December was necessary to prevent electoral chaos as protests on account of the delayed elections are continuing across the country.
Justifying his action, Macky said that he wanted to usher in an inclusive, transparent, and peaceful process that allowed him to pass on the baton smoothly and in peace. He denied any intention to continue in the post and vouched that he did not want to reinvent himself as a dictator or head of an authoritarian government.
Senegal’s president wanted a new dialogue to solve the crisis the country had and added that dialogue could start anytime from next week. But for initiating the dialogue to build trust, he said both ruling and opposition parties should come with an open mind. Opposition lawmakers have also filed an appeal at the Constitutional Court, questioning the rationale behind postponing the election. The decree passed by the National Assembly also was questioned in the Constitutional Court, apart from 14 out of the 20 aspirants in the fray.
The Constitution empowers the Constitutional Council to reschedule the vote in certain circumstances including the death, permanent incapacity, or withdrawal of candidates. Clashes in Dakar led to the closing of main roads and disrupted rail lines and main markets.
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The Constitutional Council is expected to rule within approximately a week as to whether it agrees with the parliament’s conclusion. However, when pressed, Sall wouldn’t say whether he would accept the court’s decision if it rejected the delay. Sall’s time in office had been set to end on April 2 but he will remain in charge until the Dec.15 election based on the decision of the national assembly.
