Politics

44-year-old Bassirou Faye set to become Senegal’s president

Published

6 months ago

March 26, 2024

The leading opposition candidate in Sunday’s presidential election in Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, is set to become the president-elect of the West African country.

Faye, who was released from prison only a few days ago, is winning with almost 54% of the vote, with 90% of the ballots counted by the electoral commission.

Following the counting of 90% of the polling station results, the Senegalese Electoral Commission declared that Faye had secured 53.68% of the vote, while Amadou Ba, the candidate for the ruling coalition, secured 36.2% of the vote.

For him, everything changed in July when fiery popular leader and fellow detainee, Ousmane Sonko, was accused of insurrection and disqualified from contesting to succeed President Macky Sall in elections. This cleared the way for Faye to seize control of the race, and on Monday, his 44th birthday, emerge victorious after his opponent gave up.

Much of Faye’s success can be attributed to the support of Sonko who enjoys high popularity, particularly among young people.

Other presidential contenders had called Faye to concede defeat. Ba, another major contender in the election, in a statement, said, “In light of presidential election result trends and while we await the official proclamation, I congratulate… Faye for his victory in the first round.”

Shortly before the announcement, outgoing President Macky Sall also congratulated Faye, “I salute the smooth running of the presidential election of March 24, 2024, and congratulate the winner, Mr. Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who the trends show as the winner. It is the victory of Senegalese democracy.”

“In electing me, the Senegalese people have decided on a break with a past,” Faye told journalists in his first public appearance since the election. “your I promise to govern with humility and transparency.”

Many anticipate that following three years of unparalleled political upheaval and multiple waves of lethal anti-government protests, the vote will bring economic stability and a boost. Already, there are reports that Faye’s imminent victory have caused Senegal’s international bonds to rise, reversing steep declines from earlier in the day.

The Dakar appeals court is anticipated to release the complete, official results on Friday.

Senegal is a republic with multiple parties. The president, who is chosen by universal adult direct suffrage and is eligible for two five-year terms, is the head of state under the 2001 constitution, which established a highly centralized presidential system. The president appoints the prime minister, who leads the government.

Related Topics:Bassirou Diomaye Faye Featured Senegal

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Politics

Tunisian court mandates electoral commission to reinstate presidential contenders

Published

1 day ago

September 16, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The highest court in Tunisia has issued an order requiring the electoral commission to re-enter two candidates for an October presidential election, cautioning that not doing so might compromise the election’s credibility.

The Administrative Court’s decision was made in rising political unrest in the nation of North Africa, where opposition parties and civil society organisations are concerned that a rigged election could give President Kais Saied a second term.

In the largest demonstration against constraints on liberties and the undemocratic electoral environment in Tunisia in two years, thousands of Tunisians came to the streets on Friday. Among the shouts screamed by the demonstrators was “Out with dictator Saied.”

Tensions increased after the electoral commission, citing purported flaws in their candidacy forms, rejected the court’s decision earlier this month to restore the candidatures of Abdellaif Mekki, Mondher Znaidi, and Imed Daimi ahead of the contest on October 6.

The president himself appointed the committee’s members, and major parties and civil society organisations claimed that this meant the president was using the inquiry as a weapon against his opponents.

Regarding the charges, commission president Farouk Bouasker has stated that “the commission is the only constitutional body entrusted with the integrity of the election” and refuted them. However, the commission must carry out its mandate and, if needed, revise the election schedule, the court ruled on Saturday. It’s unclear if this entails delaying the election or prolonging the campaign.

“Otherwise it would lead to an illegal situation that conflicts with the electoral law and the transparency of the electoral process”, it said.

Following their filing of a new complaint against the commission’s ruling, the court requested that Znaidi and Mekki be allowed to participate in the race. Daimi, the third contender, hasn’t yet submitted a second appeal.

After winning a democratic election in 2019, Saied strengthened his hold on power and started governing by decree in 2021—a move that the opposition has called a coup.

Politics

Under their new coalition, Mali, Burkina, Niger to launch biometric passports

Published

1 day ago

September 16, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

As part of their departure from the West African bloc in favour of a new Sahel alliance, military authorities in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will implement new biometric passports, the countries’ leaders announced on Sunday.

Together, the three Sahelian neighbours run by juntas declared in January that they would be exiting the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), despite efforts by the organisation to convince them otherwise.

In July, the three West African nations signed a confederation treaty demonstrating their will to forge on together outside of the regional political and economic bloc that has been pressuring them to revert to democratic governance.

Earlier this month, Burkina Faso declared that it will no longer be issuing passports with the ECOWAS emblem.

“In the coming days, a new biometric passport of the AES (Alliance of Sahel States) will be put into circulation with the aim of harmonising travel documents in our common area and facilitating the mobility of our citizens throughout the world”, Malian junta leader Assimi Goita announced on Sunday evening.

On the eve of the decision to form their alliance, the foreign ministers of the three nations will meet on Monday. He made this statement beforehand.

In addition, Goita announced that they intended to open a common information channel “to foster a peaceful exchange of information among our three states.”

Meanwhile, ECOWAS had warned that the 400 million residents of the 49-year-old bloc would lose their freedom of movement and access to the common market if the three countries were to exit,

Their withdrawal coincides with their troops fighting militants associated with the Islamic State and al Qaeda, whose insurgencies have caused instability in the area for the previous ten years and pose a threat to those bordering West Africa.