Senegalese voters are heading to the polls Sunday in a crucial legislative election that could reshape the country’s political landscape.
The vote will determine whether President Bassirou Diomaye Faye can push forward his ambitious reform agenda or remain stymied by an opposition-dominated assembly.
The election comes months after Faye, elected in March on an anti-establishment platform, dissolved the previous parliament in September. He cited opposition obstructionism as the main reason for calling a snap election. Faye’s proposed reforms, which include fighting corruption, revising fishing permits for foreign companies, and increasing the share of natural resource profits for Senegalese citizens, have faced fierce resistance in the assembly.
A Divided Political Landscape
Senegalese voters will elect 165 lawmakers, with 41 candidate lists competing for seats in the National Assembly. Four major coalitions dominate the race, including the Takku Wallu opposition platform led by former President Macky Sall.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, a key ally of Faye and a popular opposition figure, has been at the center of recent political clashes. His absence from assembly sessions has heightened tensions, with opposition parties threatening votes of no confidence against the government.
Violence Mars Electoral Campaign
The lead-up to the election has been marked by violent confrontations between rival party supporters. Clashes erupted in central Senegal in recent weeks, and the Ministry of the Interior confirmed that an opposition party’s headquarters in Dakar was set on fire on November 11.
Sonko denounced the violence, accusing political opponents of targeting his party, PASTEF, in coordinated attacks across multiple cities. “May each patriot they have attacked and injured, be proportionally avenged,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter), before later urging his supporters to remain peaceful.
Last month, Sonko’s campaign vehicle was attacked with stones during clashes in Koungueul, injuring Malick Gackou, a former minister and leader of an allied party. Gackou reportedly sustained a broken arm in the altercation.
A Crucial Test for Governance
The stakes are high for Faye, who needs a majority in the assembly to implement his promised reforms. Without it, his anti-establishment platform risks stagnation. For the opposition, the election is an opportunity to maintain control and curb Faye’s power.
As the results unfold, Senegal’s political stability hangs in the balance, with the potential to shape the country’s trajectory for years to come.
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