Macky Sall will hold consultations Monday and Tuesday to decide on the new voting date

Faced with current tensions, he suspended the decision on the date of the election to a dialogue that he intends to conduct with the candidates and other political and social actors.

“As for the date, we will see what the dialogue proposes.” Pressed to give the date of the presidential election, which he had decreed to be postponed, Senegalese President Macky Sall spoke on Thursday, February 22, in front of the country’s media. He dispelled uncertainties about his departure at the end of his mandate on April 2, but left suspension of the election date. In power since 2012, the outgoing president caused one of the most serious political crises experienced by his country in decades by deciding in early February to postpone the presidential election, initially scheduled for February 25.

The Constitutional Council finally vetoed this postponement and the continuation of the president in his post until the installation of his successor, asking the authorities to organize the vote “as soon as possible”. Macky Sall then promised to lead “without delaying the necessary consultations” to the organization of the vote, without ever giving new dates.

Faced with tensions in the country and under pressure from the candidates, the outgoing president declared that he would suspend the decision on the date of the election until discussions which will be held from Monday with the candidates and other political and social actors. “At the end of the dialogue on Tuesday, we must have a date”he said Thursday.

At the end of its mandate, “the Constitutional Council will take over”

Asked about the possibility that the election would be held by April 2, the date of the end of his mandate, Macky Sall replied: “I do not think so”. To this date, “my mission ends at the head of Senegal”, he confirmed, visibly stung by the suspicion that he might seek to stay in office. If the Senegalese cannot go to the polls by April 2, it is the Constitutional Council which will take over, he said. “It will be up to the Constitutional Council to say what must be done,” according to the head of state.

In a desire for appeasement, Macky Sall declared himself willing to show clemency towards his former adversaries, considering the possibility of pardons or an amnesty law. “Yes, I am ready to go this far so that everyone benefits from this pardon and that Senegal moves towards these elections in a peaceful manner”he said regarding a possible release of the anti-system opponent Ousmane Sonko. Concerning another opponent, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the outgoing president raised the possibility of “benefit fromprovisional freedom to respond to the call for dialogue”he said.

Several hundred detainees have been released since last week, contributing to a fragile detente.