A forum convened by the Senegalese head of state resulted on Tuesday in a “broad consensus” on the fact that the presidential election could not take place before the end of Macky Sall's mandate on April 2 and that he must remain in office until the installation of his successor, many participants told AFP.
These conclusions go diametrically against the demands of the opposition and part of civil society, who form a broad front to demand that the presidential election which was to take place last Sunday be held before April 2.
These actors boycotted the “national dialogue” organized Monday and Tuesday by the president in the new town of Diamniadio to try to find an agreement on the date of the election and exit the country renowned as one of the most stable in Africa of the West from one of the most serious crises it has gone through in decades.
Towards an election in July?
The work of a commission on the date led to the observation almost shared by all that the vote could not take place before April 2, said four participants.
Six participants in another commission, on the organization after April 2, also reported a “broad consensus”, this time on the fact that Macky Sall, elected in 2012 and re-elected in 2019 but not candidate in 2024, was to remain in office until the inauguration of his successor.
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Participants proposed that the election take place in July, the same sources told AFP.
They reported the content of the discussions, not the content of a written document which no one specified whether it had been formatted.
The two commissions are supposed to deliver their conclusions to the head of state.
No indication was provided as to when he would rule.
The Senegalese president said last week that in the event of consensus, he would “immediately” issue the decree convening the voters.
On Monday, he mentioned the start of the rainy season in June/July, mentioning several factors which would complicate a rapid holding of the vote.
Starting with Ramadan, at the beginning of March.
Upcoming constitutional issues
The Senegalese president has said several times in recent days that he would leave on April 2.
But he opened the way for an extension on Monday evening by declaring that he was ready “to stay again even if it is not my choice (…) because I am in a hurry to get it over with and leave”.
If they are endorsed by the Head of State, the recommendations for “dialogue” promise to be reasons of great irritation for the front which has been formed since Macky Sall decreed a last minute postponement on February 3, causing a shock wave.
Demonstrations, repressed, left four dead and led to dozens of arrests.
On February 15, the Constitutional Council vetoed the postponement.
A possible extension of Macky Sall's mandate risks raising constitutional questions: the Council had written that he was to leave on April 2.
Is Macky Sall playing for time?
The anti-postponement front suspects the president of playing for time, either to advantage his side because things would look bad for him in the presidential election, or to cling to power beyond the end of his mandate.
Seventeen of the 19 candidates selected in January by the Constitutional Council boycotted the “national dialogue”.
They are also worried that the “dialogue” will serve to start the validation of applications from scratch.
Amar Thioune and Mamadou Lamine Mané, two members of one of the commissions, reported broad convergence on a “partial reopening of the list of candidates”.