Supporters: Supporters of Macky Sall demonstrated in Dakar in support of the president, countering harsh criticism from civil society groups and opposition parties.Photo: Jem Osdell/Getty Images
CAn anti-government dialogue called by Senegalese President Macky Sall will be held this week and aims to set a date for the presidential elections he has postponed, while civil society mobilizes support for a vote in the coming weeks. Trying to.
Senegal is facing its worst political crisis in decades after Mr Sall postponed a February 25 election at the last minute.
The Constitutional Council overturned the postponement, and Sall, whose second term expires on April 2, began two days of talks on Monday to set a new date.
Art Sunu Elections (Defend Our Elections), a group of more than 100 civil society groups, on Tuesday called for a nationwide lockdown and a general strike, demanding a vote before Sall leaves office.
Two high schools near the center of the capital, Dakar, canceled classes, but overall the calls appeared to have gone largely unheeded in the city center by late morning.
Public transport operated as usual, and the alleys of the busy Koloban market were filled with the usual crowds.
“We live hand-to-mouth, so we can't let a day go by without working. Otherwise, our families won't be able to eat,” said shop owner Sir Dien.
Badara Dione, a motorcycle taxi driver, said he was unaware of the call for a strike.
“A general strike is not suitable for us. Postponing elections will certainly hurt us, but personally I want to concentrate on my work,” he said.
The civil society group called on Sall to “take all necessary measures to set a date for the 2024 presidential elections and hold them by April 2.”
The Al Sunu election was part of a broader political and civic movement, which was intensified after Sall's decision to postpone the vote to February 3. Four people were killed in the ensuing protests.
Sall, who has been in power since 2012, said he called off the vote over controversy over the disqualification of potential candidates and concerns about a repeat of instability similar to those in 2021 and 2023.
The highest constitutional body, the Constitutional Council, ruled that the postponement was illegal and called for a vote to be organized “as soon as possible”.
On Monday, Sall launched a two-day national dialogue aimed at reaching an agreement.
The meeting in Diamniadio, about 30 kilometers from Dakar, attracted hundreds of political leaders, civil society representatives and religious figures.
However, 17 of the 19 candidates approved by the Constitutional Council to stand in the election boycotted the debate, as did the Al Sunu constituency and other civil society groups.
Opposition parties argue that this is a mechanism to stall dialogue.
The two committees were scheduled to begin deliberations on Tuesday and submit their conclusions to the president. Their discussions revolve around the timing of presidential elections and the organization of the period from April 2 until Mr. Sall's successor takes office.
“Once we receive the conclusions, we will decide on a date for the elections,” Sall said on Monday, without specifying a deadline.
The president had previously cast doubt on the possibility of holding a vote before the end of his term. He suggested on Monday that it could be held by June or July, when the rainy season begins.
Some participants in the national dialogue called on Sall to remain in office until a successor is chosen, including after April 2nd.
The president did not rule out that possibility, but indicated that it was not his preferred option.
“If there is a consensus, I am prepared to stay in office, even if it is not my choice, in the best interest of the country,” he said. “That's not what I want, because I'm trying to hurry up and get it over with and leave.”
Several presidential candidates called on the Constitutional Council to formally hold Sall accountable for failing to fulfill his obligation to organize the polls. —AFP