In Senegal, judges demand timely presidential elections – Liberation

Elections should be held on time. This Thursday, February 15, the judges of the Constitutional Council of Senegal dealt a terrible blow to President Macky Sall, who surprised everyone by announcing the postponement of the presidential election on the eve of the official start of the campaign. In their decision delivered in the evening, the “wise men” annulled the February 3 presidential order “Cancellation of Electoral College for February 24 Election”. They also criticized the law passed by the ruling party and its allies, which postponed the polls till December 15, 2024. “Unconstitutional”.

What will Mackey Sal do?

The postponement of the vote would amount to an extension of the mandate of the Head of State or his “The period cannot be shortened or extended according to political circumstances, whatever be the purpose pursued”, recalled the justices in their decision. So they order the authorities to restore the electoral process and organize the vote “Happen so soon”Before the official end of Mackie Sale’s mandate, April 2, 2024.

The announcement to postpone the vote was widely criticized by Senegalese, who are committed to respecting the electoral calendar. Demonstrations erupted in recent weeks against the suspension of the rating process – quickly suppressed. But the reconstitution of the Constituent Assembly does not yet mean the resolution of the political crisis. Now everything will depend on Mackey Sal’s attitude. Will the President accept his decision from the judges? Or will it stick to postponing the vote? In this scenario, the “institutional crisis” that he invoked to postpone the vote could become a reality, through no fault of his own.