The national consultations urgently convened by Macky Sall to break the electoral deadlock are already hitting a wall. Refusing to endorse the “delaying tactics” of the Head of State, the main presidential candidates have failed to respond to the invitation to dialogue. A scathing disavowal which already jeopardizes the chances of success of this initiative, and raises the specter of an unprecedented crisis after April 2.
However, Macky Sall, who had pledged not to run for a third term, had bet big on these 48 hours of debate to find a consensual outcome. Aware of the growing pressure from the streets and the question that now surrounds the legitimacy of his power, the president hoped to ease tensions by opening dialogue with his opponents. But this was without taking into account their determination to obtain compliance with the constitutional deadlines for the vote.
One by one, the main candidates, including Ousmane Sonko, charismatic leader of the opposition now imprisoned, announced that they would not attend the discussions. A distrust exacerbated by the incarceration of several opposition figures, but also by the still vivid memory of the deadly riots born from accusations of fraud in 2021. According to a Senegalese constitutionalist interviewed by AFP, “this configuration radicalizes the positions of on both sides, while time is already running out to prevent the crisis from worsening.”
Because after the end of his mandate on April 2, Senegal could find itself plunged into an unprecedented legal void. Normally, the Constitution provides that the President of the Assembly assumes the interim role. But no script has been written for a case like this. The only possible arbiter would then be the Constitutional Council, which would have to order the immediate organization of a new vote. Except that distrust of institutions risks complicating his task.
On the ground, the pressure is also mounting. Many people fear that this interminable electoral crisis will once again degenerate into violence, after those of recent weeks which have already caused three deaths. With his back against the wall, Macky Sall now has only a few weeks left to find an agreement and avoid chaos. But after the failure of his outstretched hand, the scenarios for ending the crisis are dangerously dwindling.
2024-02-24 01:19:05
#VACUUM #DEEPENING #MACKY
