Senegal. “Rescheduled” Elections to be Held on March 24

Macky Sall, the man who threw Senegal into chaos by postponing the February 3 election, will not be there, but the election will eventually take place on March 24, 2024.

The election campaign was opened after the court confirmed the date of consultation and will see 19 contenders, one of whom is the former mayor of the capital Dakar, Khalifa Sall, considered one of the favorites. Thus, the period of uncertainty that began in early February, when Macky Sall attempted to postpone the elections scheduled for February 25 for 10 months, seems to have come to an end – an action that sparked discontent, protests, and fears of a coup d’état in a country that is one of the few in the region with some stability.

The street protests led to the deaths of four people and condemnation, perhaps by the opposition, which saw the move as an attempt by Macky Sall to stay in power beyond the end date of his mandate, which is April 2, 2024.

The date set by the Constitutional Council reduces the days allotted for campaigning from 21 to 14, but above all, for the first time, it is happening during Ramadan – Senegal is a Muslim-majority country.