Six months into his presidency, Bassirou Diomaye Faye has announced snap elections for November 17th, following the dissolution of the country’s parliament.
Analysts believed Faye’s party, which currently lacks a parliamentary majority, has a high chance of securing one.
However, the opposition platform, Benno Bokk Yaakar, led by former President Macky Sall, has denounced the move, accusing Faye of perjury.
Faye, Senegal’s youngest leader at 44, was elected in April, shortly after his release from prison along with Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
He promised sweeping reforms to improve living standards, tackle corruption, and secure a greater share of Senegal’s natural resources for the population.
Yet, these promises remain unfulfilled. Faye and Sonko attribute this to their party’s lack of parliamentary majority, which they hope to rectify through the snap elections.
The move came as thousands of Senegalese citizens seek better economic opportunities in Europe, fleeing one of West Africa’s highest inflation rates.
“We need a majority to implement our reforms,” Faye said, justifying the snap elections.
“This is a power grab,” countered Sall, leader of the opposition. “Faye is trying to circumvent the democratic process.”
