The delay represents a blow to Senegal's reputation as a strong democracy in a region plagued by military coups, and raises the specter of civil war in the West African country, which has suffered protests in recent years after the imprisonment of one of Sall's main rivals.
“This is a real aberration at the political, institutional and constitutional levels,” said Alyon Tine, a human rights expert and founder of the Africa Gom Centre, a Dakar-based research organization. “What happened is a real political fraud and a serious, dangerous and immoral institutional collapse.”
In his address to the nation on Saturday, Sall confirmed that he did not intend to run for a third term, but said that his decision was due to disagreements over the electoral list and corruption allegations against the Constitutional Court.
The party of Karim Wade, whose father, Abdallah Wade, was Sall's predecessor, accused the court of corruption after it prevented him from running because of his dual citizenship (his mother is French). The courts prevented the main contenders to succeed Sall, most notably the popular opposition member Ousmane Sonko, from running.
Sall's spokesman, Yoro Dia, compared the situation to the Watergate scandal, saying that infighting between the court and the legislature meant that the legitimacy of the next Senegalese president, like that of President Richard Nixon, would “inevitably be tainted by legitimate doubt.” “.
“President Macky Sall should be congratulated for fulfilling his responsibilities to save our democracy from the Watergate scandal,” Zia said in a letter to The Washington Post. “The statesman cares more about the next generation than the next election or the curve of emotions.”
In Dakar on Tuesday morning, there were no signs of further demonstrations, but there was deep frustration among residents who said they felt betrayed by their government and were ready to vote in the election.
“I feel sorry for my country now,” said Asani Diya, head of the traders at a market in the capital. “I'm really sad. …We need to organize ourselves.
Dia, 51, said he was concerned that Sall wanted to retain power and that this was just the beginning of the decisions the president would make without legitimacy or support from the people.
“I was among those who elected Macky Sall,” said Professor Diaby Ndiong, 60, an imam in Grand Dakar. “I had faith in him. But I regret it now.”
Tayne and other democracy advocates said respect for the Constitutional Court had been historically strong, and that Sall and lawmakers' choice to now question the court's decisions constituted “institutional manipulation” that had caused a loss of trust “across all segments of society.” Including youth, religious leaders, trade unions and civil society.
They said Sall's decision to postpone the election undermines the state of democracy in Senegal at a time when the history of the peaceful transition of power is particularly important for the region. West Africa is deeply divided, with three countries led by juntas – Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso – last month announcing their withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, which has strongly condemned coups in those countries.
The Economic Community of West African States, a key regional body of which Senegal is a prominent member, issued a carefully worded statement after Sall's announcement, saying it “takes note” of the decision to postpone the elections and urges “dialogue and cooperation for transparent, inclusive and credible elections.” “
The African Union expressed its concern in a statement in which it called for the elections to be held “as quickly as possible,” while the US State Department said it acknowledged “allegations of irregularities, but we are deeply concerned about the disruption of the presidential electoral calendar.” “
“We urge all participants in the electoral process in Senegal to peacefully participate in the important efforts to quickly set a new date and create conditions for the timely holding of free and fair elections,” the statement from the Office of African Affairs said.
Chasson reported from Niamey, Niger.
