Protests in Senegal: What could be the reasons?

It was on the 3rd of February when the President of Senegal, Macky Sall postponed the Presidential elections that were due on the 25th of February. This move was enough to anger the opposition lawmakers. The move by the President to postpone the elections was actually attributed to a conflict between the Constitutional Council and the National Assembly relating to the procedures of candidate selection. This very act of the President extends his term by a total of 10 months until the middle of December. 

The decision of the President was enough to trigger nationwide protests. Authorities are reverting to forceful and aggressive means. The chaos is leading to casualties. The postponement of the elections has been called a "Constitutional coup d'état" by the critics.

The unrest and its background

The crisis in Senegal at present is nothing but reminiscent of the violent disputes in Dakar last year, which led to the imprisonment of Ousmane Sonko, a top opposition leader. The leader is popular for his stance and support for anti-corruption. Moreover, he also strongly resists and talks against the French influence. The leader was barred from the Presidential elections by the Constitutional Council. These events are not enough; there exists a broad pattern of unrest which includes many such instances. One of them is the protests in the year 2021 where over 12 people were reportedly killed by the security forces.

Actions of President Sall that sparked a controversy

It was in the year 2012 when Macky Sall came into power as the President of Senegal, against the backdrop of strong resistance in the country against the bid of his predecessor for a third time. Now, Sall has sparked a controversy by indicating that Sall could run for a third term. Sall says that his presidential term was actually shortened during his first tenure. With this rationale, he argues, he could be eligible for yet another term on the basis of the new timeline. The decision to postpone the elections has strengthened the suspicions of Macky Sall's attempts to solidify his stance.

Senegal and Democracy

Senegal has always established a robust multiparty democracy. Since independence, the democracy of the country has remained untouched by civil wars and military coups. Additionally, President Macky Sall has also played a strong role in fostering democratic transitions in the region. This was seen prominently in the year 2017 in Gambia. What brings the President into controversy is his recent attempt, which may indicate the President's departure from democratic norms. This raises concerns regarding potential misrule, especially when other nations in the same region are under military dictatorship at present.