Senegal’s President Agrees to Hold Vote as Soon as Possible

Katarina Hoije and Yinka Ibukun
·2 min read
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(Bloomberg) -- Senegalese President Macky Sall agreed to hold elections as soon as possible, after the nation’s top court ruled that postponing the vote is unlawful. The nation’s eurobonds extended their gains.

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The decision by Sall to proceed with the election suggests an about turn after his bid last week to delay the vote triggered a political crisis in one of Africa’s most stable democracies. The Constitutional Council ruled late Thursday that a decision by lawmakers to postpone the election and extend Sall’s term by 10 months was unconstitutional.

“The president intends to fully execute the decision of the Constitutional Council,” Sall’s office said in a statement in the capital, Dakar, on Friday. “The head of state will without delay conduct the necessary consultations to organize presidential elections as soon as possible.”

It didn’t provide a date for the vote, which was supposed to take place on Feb. 25, nor did it make reference to ruling on extending Sall’s term.

The yield on Senegal’s 2033 dollar debt fell 38 basis points to 8.84% by 4:43 p.m. in London, while its 2037 securities dropped 50 basis points to 9.15% after Sall’s decision.

Read More: What’s Gone Wrong in Normally Stable Senegal?: QuickTake

Lawmakers voted on Feb. 5 to postpone the election, triggering protests by opposition supporters and exacerbating a crackdown by the authorities that’s included cutting access to mobile internet services and arresting hundreds of opposition supporters and dozens of journalists. At least three people have died in clashes with the nation’s security forces.

The increased instability has coincided with a series of setbacks for democracy in sub-Saharan Africa, where military coups have deposed the leaders of seven countries over the past four years.

The government plans to hold discussions about the new date for the election, government spokesman Abdou Karim Fofana said earlier on Friday, in an interview broadcast on Radio France International.

Under Senegal’s constitution, the electoral authorities are compelled to ensure the election takes place at least 30 days before the president’s mandate expires. Sall’s term finishes on April 2, which suggests the election may be held no later than March 2.

“We don’t want far-reaching talks that further delay the election,” said Amadou Ba, a politician who formerly belonged to jailed opposition leader Ousmane Sonko’s Pastef party. “Consultations should only include the eligible candidates to reach a minimum level of consensus.”

(Updates bond yields in fifth paragraph.)

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