The African Union called on Senegal to set a date for holding the presidential elections that were scheduled for February 25, which outgoing President Macky Sall announced was postponed on Saturday to an unspecified date due to a dispute over the list of candidates. This call comes at a time when Parliament is preparing to discuss a draft law that would call for elections in August and extend the term of President Macky Sall. The opposition denounced this decision, which it considered an “institutional coup.”
Published on: 02/05/2024 – 10:38
2 minutes
The African Union said it should Senegal Hold elections Presidential As soon as possible, days after its president, Macky Sall, postponed the vote, which was scheduled for February 25, to an unspecified date.
Senegalese lawmakers are scheduled to discuss Monday a proposal to hold elections on August 25 and keep Sall in power until his successor is installed.
Senegal has never postponed a presidential election, and Sall’s announcement on Saturday pushed the country into an ambiguous constitutional position, which some opposition and civil society groups said amounted to an “institutional coup.”
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said in a statement late on Sunday evening that Senegal must “hold elections as soon as possible, in transparency, peace and national harmony.”
The statement added, “(The African Union) strongly encourages all political and social forces to resolve any political dispute through civilized consultation, understanding and dialogue.”
A Reuters reporter said that the Senegalese police fired tear gas on Monday to disperse opponents who gathered outside parliament to protest the postponement of the presidential elections. Yesterday, Sunday, security forces dispersed a gathering of protesters, using tear gas.
France 24/Reuters
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2024-02-05 09:38:16
