Will the decision ease tensions?
The Senegalese Constitutional Court on Thursday invalidated the postponement of the presidential election from February 25 to December 15, at the origin of one of the most serious crises experienced by the country in decades, we learned from the institution .
The Court declared unconstitutional the law adopted on February 5 by the National Assembly, postponing the election for ten months and maintaining President Macky Sall in his post until his successor takes office, according to a document published on social networks and authenticated by a source within the institution.
This historic decision opens up an extremely uncertain future for this country readily praised for its stability and democratic practices.
Macky Sall indicated last week that he would advise on the consequences he would draw from a possible invalidation of the postponement by the Constitutional Court.
Three deaths since the start of the protests
The Constitutional Court also annulled President Sall's decree which, de facto, modified the electoral calendar, just three weeks before the deadline.
It notes “the impossibility of organizing the presidential election on the date initially planned” of February 25, given the delay in the process, and “invites the competent authorities to hold it as soon as possible”.
The postponement provoked an outcry from the opposition and civil society who cried out for a “constitutional coup d’état”.
It sparked protests following which three people were killed and dozens arrested.
Key Senegal partners, concerned about the risk of violence, called on the government to hold the election as quickly as possible.
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New calls for demonstrations have been launched for Friday.
A march organized by a civil society collective is also planned for Saturday.
Faced with the protest, President Sall expressed his desire to find ways of “appeasement”.