Senegal’s top court has declared the postponement of this month’s elections, as proposed by President Macky Sall, unconstitutional.
The Constitutional Council invalidated both the president’s decree and a controversial parliamentary bill, which had sought to reschedule the vote for December.
The move had sparked widespread protests in Senegal, once hailed as a democratic stronghold in the region.
Opposition figures condemned the delay as a “constitutional coup.”
President Sall cited concerns over the eligibility of opposition candidates for the postponement, but critics accused him of attempting to cling to power or influence his successor unfairly.
The president’s proposal, initially suggesting a six-month delay, received parliamentary approval after a heated debate that led to the removal of some opposition MPs by police.
A last-minute amendment extended the postponement to 10 months, setting a new election date for December 15.
Despite reiterating that he would not seek re-election, President Sall faced accusations of political maneuvering.
Opposition candidates, who challenged the bill through legal means, found validation in the court’s decision.
Leading opposition figure Khalifa Sall, unrelated to the president, labeled the delay a “constitutional coup,” while another candidate, Thierno Alassane Sall, also unrelated, termed it “high treason.”
The Constitutional Council deemed it “impossible” to hold the election on the original date of February 25, urging authorities to organize it “as soon as possible.”
President Sall, whose second term ends on April 2, is yet to respond to the court’s ruling.
While the election could potentially take place before April, underlying disputes, including corruption allegations in the Constitutional Court and objections from excluded opposition candidates, persist.
Using the disputed candidate list could lead to renewed unrest, particularly among supporters of popular candidate Ousmane Sonko.
Most candidates had halted campaigning since President Sall’s February 3 decree, issued just hours before scheduled campaign kick-off.
The court’s decision coincided with the release of several opposition politicians and civil society members from prison, seen by some as an attempt to appease public opinion.
Senegal, historically considered one of the region’s most stable democracies, had never experienced a military coup and had previously undergone three peaceful power transitions.
However, the postponement marked a departure from the country’s electoral norms.
Source-BBC
