Violent protests have broken out in Senegal’s capital Dakar. The reason is the president’s postponement of an election date – a step that is seen as an abuse of power.
After the government postponed an election date, numerous people demonstrated in Senegal’s capital Dakar. They followed a call from various opposition parties. Many see the postponement of the election as an extension of the current President Macky Sall’s term in office. After two mandates, he is not allowed to run again according to the constitution.
The police broke up the first protests at the Saint Lazare cemetery by using tear gas. She pursued the demonstrators who fled to neighboring districts. Protesters set fire to car tires and attempted to set up roadblocks. It is not known how many people took part in the protests.
Several demonstrators were arrested. Among them is the former head of government Aminata Touré, said MP Guy Marius Sagna to the AFP news agency. The prime minister, once appointed by Senegal’s head of state Sall, is now a leading member of the opposition.
“Signs of a dictatorship”
During the protests, many participants accused Sall of abuse of power. “He not only postponed the election, but downright canceled it,” a demonstrator told the KNA news agency. “This is a sign of a dictatorship.” Several experts described the postponement as an “institutional coup.” Further protests have been announced for Monday.
Sall had already announced on Saturday that he would postpone the election date scheduled for February 25th. The reason for this was disagreements about the candidates admitted. He wants to initiate an open dialogue in order to create “conditions for free, transparent and inclusive elections in a peaceful and reconciled Senegal.”
The idea that Sall might seek an additional term through a constitutional amendment had been discussed for several years. However, last year he announced that he was not aiming for this goal. Sall supports the candidacy of his party colleague and former Prime Minister Amadou Ba.
Numerous critics have been arrested since 2021
Candidate Karim Wade from the opposition PDS was not admitted. The responsible Constitutional Council also rejected the candidacy of Ousmane Sonko, who is particularly popular among young voters. He was sentenced to two years in prison in June for allegedly “corrupting” young people. A total of 20 of the 79 presidential candidates who submitted their documents were admitted to the election.
According to the epd news agency, observers describe the proceedings against Sonko as politically motivated. The government is targeting politicians through legal proceedings. Up to 1,000 opposition members and activists have been arrested since March 2021.
Such an approach has never happened before in Senegal, a former French colony. The country of 18 million people is considered stable and its state institutions are functioning.