In Senegal, the opposition front against front

Five days after the Constitutional Council invalidated the postponement of the presidential election in Senegal and asked the authorities to set a new date ” as soon as possible “, two large blocs are emerging within the opposition. On the one hand, those who plead for the resumption of the electoral process where it was stopped on February 3. On the other, those who advocate resetting the counters.

Sixteen of the twenty presidential candidates whose files had been retained by the Constitutional Council before the crisis thus came together within the February 25 Candidates Front (FC25, in reference to the initial date of the vote) to demand that the vote be organized in March so that a transfer of power can take place between Macky Sall and his successor on April 2, at the end of the outgoing president’s mandate. This collective includes Khalifa Sall, the former mayor of Dakar, and Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the candidate of the ex-Pastef, the movement of incarcerated opponent Ousmane Sonko, dissolved in July.

If they insist that Macky Sall must leave power, whatever happens, on April 2, the candidates have not yet agreed on a precise arrangement of the electoral calendar. Several voting dates are circulating: March 3, 10 or 17. “Some want to ensure a long enough campaign to make themselves known, others are already on the ground and want to go to the polls as quickly as possible”notes Elimane Kane, member of the civil society platform Aar Sunu Election (“protect our election”, in Wolof), who met some of the candidates on Monday February 19.

Meetings follow one another in Dakar to try to find a common position. And decide whether the candidates must participate in the consultations announced by the presidency last Friday individually or collectively. “It’s difficult to discuss between competitors from different backgrounds when time is running out”testifies the candidate Mamadou Lamine Diallo, who met Macky Sall on Thursday, a few hours before the decision of the Constitutional Council.

“Informal contacts”

Other hearings took place in the greatest discretion at the palace, according to an evening visitor, while prisoners in pre-trial detention continue to be released, after a first wave of releases at the end of last week. According to the count carried out on Tuesday February 20 by the collective of detainees, a little more than 310 people, most of them arrested during the demonstrations of March 2021 and June 2023, were placed on provisional release at the initiative of the prosecutor. Republic. Enlargements taking place after a directive from the Head of State addressed to his government “to pacify public space”

“Macky Sall carefully conceals in which direction he is working”slips human rights defender Alioune Tine, who in recent weeks has played the role of emissary between power and opposition after having spoken with the head of state on several occasions: “He must first meet his people within his party, his coalition. And then he must be in discussions with the institutions. »

Contacts have also begun to be made among the candidates. “I was approached to find out if we wanted to resume the electoral process where it had stopped, or to start all over again”assures Mame Boye Diao, former general director of the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, dismissed by Macky Sall when he announced his candidacy, in September 2023: “We are ready to engage in consultations, but we remain uncompromising on the transfer of power, which must take place on April 2. » Same story with Aliou Mamadou Dia, of the Unity and Rally Party (PUR), who speaks of “informal contacts” to find out if it is “ready to respond to a discussion”.

Gynecologist Rose Wardini, for her part, announced that she was withdrawing from the race. She was summoned by the police at the beginning of February following revelations on social networks about her supposed dual Franco-Senegalese nationality – according to the Constitution, suitors must be exclusively Senegalese. She also demands that the election take place before April 2.

“April 2 Obsession”

Facing the FC25, another opposition movement was structured under the leadership of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), whose candidate, Karim Wade, was excluded from the presidential race for renouncing his nationality too late. French. The PDS had denounced cases of corruption within the Constitutional Council for “manipulate the election and eliminate candidates”. Serious accusations, invoked by the president to justify the postponement of the vote.

This Democratic Front for an Inclusive Election (FDPEI), which brings together exclusively candidates rejected by the Constitutional Council (notably during the control of sponsorships), calls for the resumption of the electoral process from the beginning, in the hope of being able to participate in the vote. MP Mamadou Lamine Thiam declared Monday that the “Karim 2024” coalition wanted to take part “to the national dialogue announced by the President of the Republic” February 3 and “demands that this national dialogue be held without delay”. But nothing says that this initiative is still relevant.

“Restarting the process from scratch depends on negotiations. But before deciding, we must clarify the main cause of this crisis: the accusations of corruption of certain members of the Constitutional Council by the current Prime Minister Amadou Ba., explains Omar Sène, special advisor to candidate Boune Abdallah Dionne. Former prime minister of Macky Sall, hostile to a vote before April 2, the latter turned his back on the head of state because he had not been chosen to wear the colors of the majority in the presidential election .

Also candidates, the former head of government Idrissa Seck and the current Prime Minister Amadou Ba remained silent. “We must let political actors discuss the substance to get out of this crisis and this legal and institutional instability”estimates Pape Mahawa Diouf, spokesperson for the Benno Bokk Yakaar presidential coalition who denounces a “April 2 obsession”.