Senegal's Constitutional council overturns delay of presidential vote

Senegal's Constitutional Council has overturned the postponement of this month's presidential election, a move that plunged the country into its worst crisis in decades.

President Macky Sall at a session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa on 19 February, 2023. His announcement on 3 February to postpone the presidential election by 10 months just hours before the official campaigning was due to begin, threw the country into a severe political crisis. AFP - AMANUEL SILESHI

The Council ruled on Thursday that the law adopted by parliament on 5 February to delay the election for 10 months was unconstitutional, according to a judgement approved by seven members of the body.

Sall's term of office ends on 2 April and the postponement would in effect have kept him in office beyond that date.

The constitutional body also annulled Sall's 3 February decree that modified the electoral calendar just three weeks before the vote, postponing the election from 25 February to 15 December.

The election delay in one of West Africa's most stable democracies prompted violent protests during which three people were killed and dozens arrested.

Senegal's opposition and civil society decried it as a "constitutional coup".

• Third death as Senegal braces for more protests against election delay

Senegal's major international partners also condemned the move and called on the government to hold the election as soon as possible, fearing violent unrest.

"This decision restores the image of democracy in Senegal," former prime minister Aminata Touré told RFI. "The violations were so flagrant that the Constitutional Council put an end to all of that."

Concerning the date, the Council said that it would no longer be possible to vote on 25 February, and therefore invited the competent authorities to organise this election as soon as possible.

Earlier on Thursday, several government opponents were released from prison, their lawyers told AFP news agency, in what appreared to be an attempt to appease public opinion.

"Most of my clients in politically motivated cases have been released," lawyer Cheikh Koureissy Ba said, adding that this concerned several dozen detainees.

 (with AFP)