Postponement of Senegal's presidential election begins a “period of uncertainty”, European Union says, US urgently sets new dates for free voting ahead of opposition protests in capital Dakar being dispersed by police I was asked to set it to .
“The European Union… calls on all parties to strive… to hold transparent, inclusive and credible elections as soon as possible,” EU spokeswoman Nabila Masrari said in a statement on Sunday.
On Saturday, Senegal's President Macky Sall indefinitely postponed elections scheduled for February 25.
In a televised address to the nation, Sall announced that he had rescinded the relevant election law because of the dispute over the list of candidates.
He said he had signed a decree repealing the November 2023 measure that set the original election date, but did not specify a new date.
Last month, Senegal's Constitutional Council removed some prominent opposition members from its list of candidates.
France, the country's former colonial power, said Senegal must end the “uncertainty” and called for a vote “as soon as possible”.
“We call on the authorities to resolve uncertainty regarding the election schedule so that the vote can be held as soon as possible in accordance with Senegal's democratic rules,” the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Opposition presidential candidates said they would ignore the postponement and begin campaigning.
Senegal has traditionally been seen as a rare example of stable democracy in West Africa, which has seen a spate of coups in recent years, including in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
Tear gas is fired at demonstrators
On Sunday, police fired tear gas to disperse opposition supporters in Dakar in the first clashes after Sall's announcement, AFP news agency reported.
Men and women waving Senegalese flags and wearing national soccer team jerseys gathered at a roundabout on one of the capital's main roads in response to calls from numerous opposition candidates.
Police then pursued the fleeing protesters into surrounding areas, with some members of the crowd throwing rocks at officers.
Al Jazeera's Nicolas Haq, reporting from the outskirts of Dakar, said all 19 opposition candidates had called on their supporters to gather there.
“It feels like the security forces don't want the gatherings. [cancelling the elections] Will be published… then [it] are not maintained,” said Haq.
“Some opposition figures I spoke to said this was a ploy by him to hang on to power, while others described it as a constitutional coup.
“A motorcyclist…screamed 'I'm going to burn everything down'. All the protesters we spoke to are angry at that decision. I feel like I was robbed of the ability to express myself in the election.”
About 200 protesters blocked traffic on Dakar's main thoroughfare with makeshift barricades of burning tires, Reuters reported.
Further protests are planned outside parliament on Monday.
“Inclusive and credible elections”
Noting Senegal's “strong tradition of democracy and peaceful transitions of power,” the U.S. State Department said: “To all participants: [the] The electoral process must be peaceful and new dates and conditions for timely, free and fair elections must be set quickly. ”
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc said in a statement that Senegalese politicians must “prioritize dialogue and cooperation towards transparent, inclusive and credible elections” and urged authorities to “set a new election date”. “to expedite the various processes for setting up ”.
Opponents suspect the president's camp fears defeat of his anointed successor, Prime Minister Amadou Ba.
Sall announced on Saturday a “national dialogue” to organize “free, transparent and inclusive elections”, saying Senegal is in the midst of deadly political violence in March 2021 and June 2023. He said the country could not afford to “fall into another crisis.”
The country's election law requires a gap of at least 80 days between the announcement of a new presidential vote and Election Day, so the earliest a new date could theoretically be late April at the earliest.
Sall's presidential term is due to end on April 2nd.
Analysts say the crisis is testing one of Africa's most stable democracies, as the region struggles with a recent surge in coups.
Senegal is embroiled in political tensions after deadly clashes involving opposition supporters and the disqualification of two opposition leaders ahead of a crucial vote.
