Middle Eastern & African Affairs- Jan 26, 2024
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On Thursday, Senegal's top election authority voided the president's postponement of a presidential election scheduled for February 25 and its rescheduling for December, ruling that the moves were unconstitutional.
According to a judgment approved by seven body members, Senegal's Constitutional Council canceled the decree signed by President Macky Sall that postponed the election. The National Assembly's move on February 5 to reschedule the vote for December 14 was "contrary to the constitution," the judgment said.
Opposition presidential candidates and lawmakers had filed many legal challenges to last week's parliamentary bill, extending President Macky Sall's mandate in what critics said amounted to an "institutional coup." Sall, who has been in power since 2012, sparked uproar on February 3 when he called off the elections over disputes about the disqualification of potential candidates and concern about a repeat of the unrest seen in 2021 and 2023.
According to a judgment approved by seven body members, Senegal's Constitutional Council canceled the decree signed by President Macky Sall that postponed the election. The National Assembly's move on February 5 to reschedule the vote for December 14 was "contrary to the constitution," the judgment said.
Opposition presidential candidates and lawmakers had filed many legal challenges to last week's parliamentary bill, extending President Macky Sall's mandate in what critics said amounted to an "institutional coup." Sall, who has been in power since 2012, sparked uproar on February 3 when he called off the elections over disputes about the disqualification of potential candidates and concern about a repeat of the unrest seen in 2021 and 2023.
