- Tax inspector Faye likely Senegal’s next president after democratic vote
- Faye wins absolute majority, opponent concedes defeat to democracy
- Election postponement sparks speculation about President Sall’s third term
Previously unknown tax inspector Bassirou Diomaye Faye, released from prison two weeks ago, appears likely to be sworn in as the next president of Senegal following a vote that observers characterise as evidence of the nation’s democratic resilience.
Although official results are anticipated to be released by the electoral commission in the coming days, preliminary tally sheets indicated that Faye won the election on Sunday by an absolute majority. His primary opponent, the candidate for the ruling party, Amadou Ba, conceded defeat late on Monday. The 44-year-old was congratulated by departing President Macky Sall on the outcomes. “The democracy of Senegal has triumphed,” Sall declared.
Initially slated for February, the election was postponed by Sall, giving rise to speculation that he might be considering a third-term extension of his rule. As per the constitution, he has already served two terms. Ultimately, Sall consented to the vote on Sunday.
Since its independence in the 1960s, Senegal has experienced tranquil transitions of power, according to Hawa Ba, associate director of the Open Society Foundation, who stated this on Monday. “However, yesterday held greater significance as individuals aspired to close a chapter in the political history of Senegal.”
At this moment, Faye is tasked with meeting the expectations of an entire nation.
Faye did not represent the opposition during the campaign. It was Ousmane Sonko. Sonko, also a tax inspector, garnered considerable support from young Senegalese citizens by pledging to combat corruption, viewed as a defining characteristic of Sall’s authority. Individuals who felt excluded from the nation’s pre-COVID-19 economic boom were won over by his charisma. This ten-year success story earned the nation international acclaim for establishing it as one of the most rapidly expanding economies in Francophone Africa. However, despite this success, it did not improve employment prospects for the younger generation. Three out of ten Senegalese between the ages of 18 and 35 are unemployed, per Afrobarometer data.
Sonko’s defamation charges landed him in prison and disqualified him from standing for office, but his popularity persisted. He implored his supporters to cast their ballots in favour of Faye, the individual he designated as his heir.
Furthermore, they complied with the instruction, which could have potentially resulted in Faye securing triumph in the initial round.
Faye’s supporters represented the spectrum of social classes, including disillusioned adolescents and middle-class business owners.
Faye stated late on Monday, “I pledge to govern with integrity and transparency and to combat corruption at every level.” “I pledge to commit myself to fully reconstructing our institutions.”
Faye campaigned on the platform of a pledge to fundamentally alter both the political landscape and the economic trajectory of the nation. The proposals include reviewing the nation’s energy and mining contracts to give Senegalese greater control over their revenues and resources, increased judicial independence, a reduction in the president’s authority, and regional monetary reforms.
Further, Sonko and Faye committed to reassessing relations with France, a former colonial power that sparked scepticism regarding the nation’s prospective foreign policy. In other Francophone West African nations, including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, anti-French sentiments have incited military coups. As a result of France’s military withdrawal, these countries have turned to Russia.
West Africa analyst at the Bordeaux Institute of Political Studies Vincent Foucher is not optimistic that foreign policy will substantially shift.
Foucher stated, “Sonko initially took a strong stance against France but subsequently demonstrated a willingness to compromise; the tone has not been overly alarming.”
A “win-win partnership” was what Senegal sought, Faye told French media in March last year. He was unaware at the time that he would likely become its face.
Even the vote was not assured of Faye’s evident victory a month ago when Sall postponed the election. The action precipitated severe nationwide unrest, inciting violent demonstrations and compelling the highest court to reverse its ruling.
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Violence and democratic regression marred Sall’s second term, leaving many Senegalese with a sour taste in their stomachs, according to observers. Human Rights Watch reports that over the previous three years, one thousand individuals were incarcerated on politically motivated charges, while dozens of demonstrators were killed.
More than seven million voters eventually formed lines to cast their ballots over the weekend, witnessing tranquil environments that starkly contrasted with the turmoil of the previous month.
“This victory demonstrates that the democratic system of Senegal has successfully generated all the essential antibodies required for recovery and resistance,” said Alioune Tine, the founder of the Afrikajom Centre, a think tank based in Senegal. “This demonstrates that our democratic system is robust.”
Supportive Senegalese citizens have previously resisted an attempted violation of the constitution. Abdoulaye Wade, a two-time president, attempted to seek a third term in 2012. Youth voters overwhelmingly supported Sall, the opposition candidate at the time, in opposition to the action.
