Tag: presidential election

Following recent unrest and protests in Senegal after President Macky Sall postponed the presidential election last month, the government has announced that the election will now take place on March 24.

The decision comes amidst accusations from the president’s opponents of a constitutional coup, although President Sall denies any attempt to extend his term beyond the scheduled end date of April 2, after 12 years in power.

The announcement of the election date has been met with approval from opposition figures, who emphasize the importance of fair and transparent elections. Aminata Touré, a former prime minister under Mr. Sall who has since joined the opposition, expressed this sentiment, highlighting it as the president’s final duty.

Senegal, long regarded as one of Africa’s most stable democracies, has experienced a period of heightened political tension, with attempts to postpone the original February 25 poll leading to deadly unrest. However, the Constitutional Council later ruled that the election must take place before April 2.

In a move to address political tensions, President Sall dissolved the government earlier in the evening and appointed Interior Minister Sidiki Kaba as the new Prime Minister, allowing the ruling coalition’s presidential candidate, Amadou Ba, to focus on his electoral campaign.

Amidst ongoing debate, lawmakers have passed a bill granting amnesty for offenses related to political demonstrations between February 1, 2021, and February 25, 2024.

While some critics argue that this law may shield perpetrators of serious crimes, including security forces implicated in protester deaths, supporters believe it will benefit the opposition, potentially leading to the release of opposition politician Ousmane Sonko and his supporters.

Despite these reforms, political tensions persist, with leading opposition figures like Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade unable to contest the election due to their exclusion from the list of eligible candidates. Nonetheless, opposition figures express hope and determination, looking forward to a democratic process and the possibility of change in Senegal’s political landscape.

Madagascar’s first-round presidential election, originally set for November 9, has been postponed by a week due to a candidate’s injury during an opposition protest, as declared by the High Constitutional Court on Thursday.

“The High Constitutional Court, using its regulatory authority, orders the first-round presidential election’s postponement to November 16, 2023,” announced the island’s highest court in a decision posted on its website.

The second round of voting on December 20 remains unchanged, but the official electoral campaign, which commenced on Monday, has been extended by one week.

This election, featuring incumbent president Andry Rajoelina as a candidate, has been marred by an increasingly deteriorating political climate for several weeks.

Former president Marc Ravalomanana reported sustaining a leg injury in early October when police and soldiers deployed tear gas to disperse a gathering of his supporters and those backing other candidates challenging the incumbent president.

The opposition claims that the authorities are conspiring to favor Rajoelina. Last month, both the European Union and the United States asserted their close monitoring of election preparations.

Thirteen candidates are competing for the presidency.

The majority of those opposing Mr. Rajoelina at the polls, under an alliance known as the “Collective of Eleven,” have called for almost daily demonstrations since the start of the month.

However, these rallies have been consistently thwarted by the police’s use of tear gas.