Senegal to hold presidential elections

Senegal will hold presidential elections today.

The incumbent President Macky Sall is stepping down after 12 years in power, making this election much more open. In February Sall sparked a political crisis by refusing to step down at what would have been the end of his term. Sall stated that he did this in an attempt to ‘erase corruption’ within the judicial system. He failed in his attempt to cancel the election, and it was postponed. Political rivals were quick to criticize Sall, fueling support for opposing political coalitions.

Though Senegal is considered one of Africa’s most stable democracies, this election and President Sall’s prior actions could lead to political instability. The general campaign was altered greatly when opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was released from prison on March 15th. Since then, he has drawn large crowds, criticizing Sall and the political establishment. Though not an official candidate in this year’s election, Sonko’s reentrance to the political stage could lead to effective political mobilization against Sall’s party in the future. Sonko’s reappearance and Sall’s exit could alter Senegal’s role on the world stage. Sonko has criticized Senegal’s close relations with the US and the EU. Due to this political pressure, future presidential administrations could consider leaving manufacturing and trade agreements with the West.