Since gaining independence, Senegal has never experienced a coup. Will the Presidential Polls' Delay Affect That?

Senegal is frequently viewed as a model of stability, but the postponement of elections and the ensuing unrest could alter that perception.

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Legislators in Senegal decided on Monday to postpone this month's presidential election until December. This unexpected decision has alarmed observers worldwide because Senegal is typically seen as a model of stability in West Africa.

Legislators approved the postponement in the late evening hours following hours of debate and the forcible removal of some opposition members from the chamber by the police.

A clause in the law states that President Macky Sall will remain in office until his replacement is sworn in.

By early afternoon, tensions in parliament had reached a breaking point, with some deputies jostling and shoving one another, prompting a brief break.

Tear gas was earlier deployed by security personnel outside to scatter small groups of opposition protestors as they chanted "Macky Sall dictator."

Just hours before the official start of the campaign, on Saturday, Sall declared that the vote on February 25 would be postponed. This announcement created a tense situation in Senegal.

"Let's avoid gathering in shame. During the debate, opposition MP Abass Fall stated, "Let's make sure that when we leave here we can look at our children with pride and say that we were the last wall, the last bulwark."

The plan for delaying the election was approved by a preparatory committee the day before, and MPs from Sall's party backed it. However, in order for it to pass, three-fifths of the deputies had to agree.

President Macky Sall declared he will hold office for two terms. The pro-government law committee chairman, MP Moussa Diakhate, remarked, He has fulfilled his commitment.

Though Sall has previously stated he would not, violence has already broken out in Senegal due to suspicions he might attempt to continue serving after his second term ends.

"COUP CONSTITUTIONAL"
In the generally peaceful downtown Dakar region, where police and security forces were mobilized to guard parliament, the periodic fights outside parliament were an unusual sight. Heavy vehicles provided additional security.

Despite without having a preferred candidate and without even a voting card, 37-year-old demonstrator Malick Diouf said he felt it was imperative to go and voice his opinions.

"My main priority is to refuse this political agenda and this attempt at a coup de force in order to maintain my position of power," he stated to AFP.

The proposed delay was criticized by opposition leaders as a "constitutional coup" and an attack on democracy.

On Sunday, Dakar's capital was shaken by violent street protests. Two opposition candidates, including Aminata Toure, the former prime minister, were detained but then released.

Due to the spread of "hateful and subversive messages" on social media, the government banned mobile internet access early on Monday.

This was a recurrence of a June move in which mobile data was blocked due to high levels of national tension.

The action has become a standard reaction to suppress social media mobilization and communication.

RISKY DEMOCRACY
Senegal is a unique exception in coup-prone West Africa because it has never had a coup since obtaining independence from France in 1960.

The United States, the European Union, and France had all expressed worry over the potential delay and asked for a quick rescheduling of the election.

Additionally, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the chairman of the African Union commission, urged Senegal to settle its "political dispute through consultation, understanding, and dialogue."

Senegal ran the risk of losing its democratic credentials, according to Human Rights Watch.

Senegal has long been seen as the region's shining example of democracy. It released a statement saying, "This is now at risk."

"Authorities must take action to stop acts of violence, control violent security personnel, and stop attacking the media and opposition." Senegal should resume its democratic path by respecting the rights to free speech, expression, and assembly as well as restoring internet access.

Fears of the kind of violent upheaval that erupted in March 2021 and June 2023, leading to numerous deaths and hundreds of arrests, have been raised as a result of the issue.

Before Sall finally declared last July that he would not run for office again, tensions had escalated due to rumors that he was thinking about seeking a third term.

Despite Sall's declaration on Saturday that he would not run for reelection, the opposition now believes the postponement is a part of a plot by the presidential camp to avert loss or perhaps to lengthen his stay in power.

Sall has identified his preferred successor as his party's prime minister, Amadou Ba.

But he might lose at the polls since the party was divided over his nomination.

Sall stated on Saturday that the National Assembly and the Constitutional Council were at odds on the rejection of candidates, which is why he postponed the vote.