Senegal: Constitutional Court invalidates postponement of presidential elections

Will this decision ease tensions? Senegal’s Constitutional Court on Thursday invalidated the postponement of presidential elections from February 25 to December 15, causing one of the worst crises the country has experienced in decades, the institution has learned.

The court declared unconstitutional the law passed by the National Assembly on February 5, postponing elections for ten months and leaving President Macky Sall in office until his successor takes office, according to a document published on social networks and confirmed by a media source. institution.

This historic decision opens up a highly uncertain future for this country, which is widely praised for its stability and democratic practices. Macky Sall said last week that he would consult on the consequences of a possible Constitutional Court invalidation of the postponement.

Three deaths since protests began

The Constitutional Court also overturned a decree by President Sall that de facto changed the election calendar, just three weeks before the deadline. It notes the “impossibility of organizing presidential elections on the originally planned date” of February 25, given the delay in the process, and “invites the competent authorities to hold them as soon as possible.”

The postponement sparked protests from the opposition and civil society, who demanded a “constitutional coup d’etat.” This sparked protests that resulted in three people being killed and dozens arrested. Senegal’s key partners, concerned about the risk of violence, have called on the government to hold elections as quickly as possible.

New calls for demonstrations were issued on Friday. A march organized by a civil society collective is also planned for Saturday. Faced with protest, President Sall expressed a desire to find ways of “pacification.”