(Dakar) Senegalese President Macky Sall on Thursday left in abeyance the date of the presidential election which he had decreed to be postponed, while ensuring that he would leave his post as planned on April 2, whether his successor is known or not.
President Sall, in power since 2012, dispelled in an interview with some Senegalese media the uncertainties about his departure at the end of his mandate, but not those about the holding, before or after April 2, of this election, the The postponement caused one of the most serious political crises his country has faced in decades.
Faced with current tensions, he suspended the decision on the date of the election to a dialogue that he intends to lead from Monday, and affirmed his desire for appeasement. He openly considered the possibility of releases for the two anti-system opponents Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
“As for the date, we will see what the dialogue proposes,” he said. “The election can be held before or after April 2,” he said. Asked about the possibility of it being held between now and April 2, he replied: “I don’t think so”. He indicated that he would have discussions on Monday and Tuesday, first with the candidates, then with other political and social actors.
“At the end of the dialogue on Tuesday, we must have a date,” he said.
As far as he is concerned, “on April 2, 2024, my mission ends at the head of Senegal,” he declared, showing himself to be stung by the old suspicion that he might seek to remain in post longer. long than expected.
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,” he said.
Senegal, readily praised for its stability and democratic practices despite having experienced serious political unrest in the past, has been plunged into the unknown since the decision in early February by President Sall and the National Assembly to postpone until December 15 the presidential election scheduled for February 25.
This postponement, denounced as a “constitutional coup d’état” by the opposition, caused a commotion in public opinion and demonstrations which left four dead.
Last week, the Constitutional Council vetoed this postponement and the retention of President Sall in his post until the installation of his successor. The Council noted the impossibility of maintaining the presidential election on February 25 and asked the authorities to organize it “as soon as possible”.
Despite speculation about the temptation to force a move, President Sall said the next day his intention to respect the Council’s decision and to carry out “without delay the necessary consultations” for the organization of the vote.
Since then, nothing has officially filtered out of the discussions he allegedly held, despite statements to the press from personalities saying they had played good offices, including with Ousmane Sonko, the main character in a standoff with the state which has given rise to several episodes of deadly protests since 2021.
Mr. Sonko has been imprisoned since July 2023 and has been disqualified from the presidential election. But the candidacy of his second, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, also detained, was validated by the Constitutional Council.
Calls for mobilization
President Sall said Thursday that he was willing to show clemency towards his former adversaries, and considered 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 declared about a possible release of Mr. Sonko.
As for Mr. Faye, he “can benefit from provisional freedom before these laws to respond to the call for dialogue,” he said.
President Sall asked the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday to finalize texts “to materialize the desire for reconciliation and forgiveness”. A prisoner amnesty law was discussed a week ago.
Several hundred detainees have been released since last week, contributing to a fragile detente.
But civil society, which mobilized several thousand people last weekend, planned a new rally on Saturday in Dakar to maintain pressure on those in power, as did the presidential camp to support Mr. Sall.
The Bassirou Diomaye Faye camp accused the president on Wednesday evening of dragging his feet, as did the vast majority of the 19 candidates selected by the Constitutional Council.
He will only agree to discuss to set “without delay” the date of the presidential election, and this must take place before April 2, he warned in a press release.
The president justified the postponement of the election by the heated disputes that arose during the pre-electoral process. He said he wanted an indisputable election, worrying about the risk of new outbreaks of violence after those of 2021 and 2023.
The opposition suspects the presidential camp of wanting to settle with the calendar for fear of the defeat of its candidate, Prime Minister Amadou Ba, designated by President Sall to succeed him.