And now ? Two days after the National Assembly voted to postpone the presidential election supposed to be held on February 25 until December 15, the Senegalese opposition is in a daze. Surprised by the initiative launched on Saturday by President Macky Sall who, according to the texts adopted, will be able to remain in power until his successor comes to power, it is disorderly, and is still struggling to organize its response beyond condemnations of what she describes as a “constitutional coup.”
The meetings multiplied on Wednesday February 7, without any real coordination yet managing to emerge beyond the wishes of principle. On Wednesday, the collective of thirteen presidential candidates declared that they wanted a “convergence of all the forces of the nation” to fight the postponement, unprecedented in the history of Senegal.
The day before, activists from the former Pastef party (now dissolved) led by Ousmane Sonko had tried to gather in the popular neighborhood of Parcelles assainies in Dakar, but the few dozen people present were dispersed by the forces of order even before the start of the march. Several people were arrested, including deputies Abass Fall and Guy Marius Sagna, who have since been released. On Sunday, the spontaneous gatherings which, unusually, took place in the center of Dakar, met the same fate.
Convince civil society and unions
Worn out by months of protest against the legal proceedings launched against its leader, Pastef and its allies in Yewwi Askan Wi seem to be having difficulty mobilizing their activists on a massive scale. Memories of the repression of March 2021 (14 deaths) and June 2023 (23 deaths) have also left their mark. “We have to find new strategies with disparate actions throughout the territory, because organizing small gatherings seems impossible with the current maintenance of order,” explains a source close to one of the candidates.
The objective is to convince civil society and unions to lead a common fight in order to have more impact. “The [united front of the candidates] that we have put there will contact all the active forces of the nation for the creation of a much larger platform,” announced Déthié Fall, one of the candidates. “We call on the unions, the informal sector, the transport organizations to mobilize even if the form and deadlines are still to be defined,” adds Thierno Alassane Sall.
Hampered by the fear of being “engulfed by politicians”, according to a close friend of a candidate, civil society and unions are discussing the launch of a general strike slogan in order to interrupt transport, classes in schools or even garbage collection. “The fight to preserve an electoral process that respects the Constitution is upon us. Creating a balance of power does not exclude a general strike but we must take the time to go see our base to organize,” says Cheikh Diop, union leader within the National Confederation of Workers of Senegal – Forces for Change (CNTS-FC). He acknowledges having received a delegation from civil society with whom they are in discussions to establish synergies.
Appeal to the Constitutional Council and the Supreme Court
In the meantime, the opposition is focusing its hopes on the highest judicial authorities in the country. At least six candidates have filed appeals with the Constitutional Council and the Supreme Court so that the election is not postponed. Others promise to follow them like Thierno Alassane Sall and Aly Ngouille Ndiaye.
In the National Assembly, the opposition deputies who had been expelled manu militari by the police before the vote on the bill delaying the presidential election are also working on drafting an appeal on the unconstitutionality of the text which was adopted.
Confident, the candidates and their staff believe that the election can still be held on time if the Constitutional Council invalidates the law passed on February 5. “A simple decree from the President of the Republic and repression cannot postpone the electoral campaign. The administration is ready, the electoral materials are in the polling stations,” said Amadou Ba, the representative of Pastef candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye, currently in prison, on February 7. “We are still in the campaign because we consider that the postponement of the election announced by Macky Sall and voted on in the National Assembly is not legal,” adds MP Guy Marius Sagna. Khalifa Sall, one of the favorite candidates in the election, has also decided to campaign. No one knows how soon the courts will rule.
