Electoral Impasse in Senegal

This research paper analyzes the constitutional crisis in Senegal triggered by President Macky Sall's February 2024 decree to postpone presidential elections. It examines the legal disputes, the role of the Constitutional Council, the impact of 'hyper-presidentialism', and the broader implications for regional stability in West Africa.

• President Macky Sall triggered a constitutional crisis by issuing a decree on February 3, 2024, that annulled the presidential elections originally scheduled for February 25, 2024. Sall justified this by citing a conflict between Parliament and the Constitutional Council and corruption allegations against two judges.
• On February 5, 2024, a coalition consisting of the Alliance for the Republic (APR) and the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) voted to postpone the elections to December 15, 2024. This move is described as an illegal usurpation of the Constitutional Council's prerogatives.
• The Senegalese political system is characterized by 'hyper-presidentialism', where power is excessively concentrated in the executive branch, leaving Parliament to primarily endorse presidential proposals. This imbalance increases the risk of authoritarianism and the erosion of institutional strength.
• The government under Macky Sall has employed repressive tactics to stifle dissent, including the detention of over 1,000 individuals since 2021, often on charges of 'insulting the head of state'. Recent protests in February 2024 resulted in the deaths of three young men: Modou Gueye, Alpha Yoro Tounkara, and Landing Diedhiou.
• Ousmane Sonko, leader of the PASTEF party, is a major contender whose platform focuses on combating government corruption and renegotiating oil and gas contracts to ensure economic sovereignty as Senegal becomes a producer of these resources.
• The electoral impasse in Senegal has significant regional implications, as the country is viewed as a democratic beacon in a West African context where military coups have occurred in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, and where those nations are withdrawing from ECOWAS.

APA

Niang, A. (2024). Electoral Impasse in Senegal. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/electoral-impasse-in-senegal

Chicago

Niang, Amy. Electoral Impasse in Senegal. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2024. https://afripoli.org/electoral-impasse-in-senegal.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Niang |first1=Amy |title=Electoral Impasse in Senegal |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=22 February 2024 |url=https://afripoli.org/electoral-impasse-in-senegal |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{niang2024electoral, author = {Niang, Amy}, title = {{Electoral Impasse in Senegal}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2024}, month = feb, url = {https://afripoli.org/electoral-impasse-in-senegal}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }