a way to “buy time” so that Macky Sall’s camp “remains in power”, notes a political scientist

Senegal has been plunged into a serious political crisis since President Macky Sall announced the postponement of the presidential election on February 3, three weeks before the polling date. The country’s National Assembly then voted to postpone the election until December 15, with Macky Sall remaining in power until the next president takes office. A large march against these decisions planned by civil society, which was to be held on Tuesday February 13 in Dakar, was banned by the Senegalese authorities.

“It is a relatively exemplary country since 1960, where there have been elections on fixed dates, except this time”recalls Michel Galy, political scientist and specialist in sub-Saharan Africa, in 12/13 info. “Hence this sort of insurrection in favor of the Constitution”he explains. “Macky Sall’s official theory is that there would be judges of the Constitutional Court who would be challenged”indicates Michel Galy, adding that this is“a classic of fabricated accusations, as for example with Ousmane Sonko, the leader of the opposition”.

What can the international community do?

With this postponement, it is basically a question for the Senegalese power of “win time” so that Macky Sall’s camp “remain in power”. What can the international community do about the situation in Senegal? “The best would perhaps be nothing officially, particularly on the side of French diplomacy, because basically, we lost (…) the Sahel through more or less irresponsible declarations”he judges.