Senegalportal |
Politics in Senegal takes place within the framework of a presidential democratic republic. The President of Senegal is the head of state and government. Executive power in Senegal is concentrated in the president's hands. [1]
While legislative power is technically vested in both the government and the parliament, the parliament rarely introduces legislation or votes down legislation proposed by the government. [2] Similarly, although the Judiciary is theoretically independent of the executive and the legislature, the executive branch seems to exert undue control over the judiciary. [1]
Senegal is one of the few African states that has never experienced a coup d'état or exceptionally harsh authoritarianism. Léopold Senghor, the first president after independence, resigned in 1981, handing over the office of president to his Prime Minister, Abdou Diouf. The present president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, was elected in democratic elections in March 2024. [3]
Senegal has a reputation for transparency in government operations. The level of economic corruption that has damaged the development of the economies in other parts of the world is very low. Today Senegal has a democratic political culture, being part of one of the most successful democratic transitions in Africa.
The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Senegal a " hybrid regime " in 2022. [4]
The President is elected by universal adult suffrage to a 5-year term (before: to a 7-year term). The unicameral National Assembly has 150 members, who are elected separately from the President. The Socialist Party dominated the National Assembly until April 2001, when in free and fair legislative elections, President Wade's coalition won a majority (90 of 150 seats).
The Cour Suprême (Highest Appeals Court, equivalent to the U.S. Supreme Court) and the Constitutional Council, the justices of which are named by the President, are the nation's highest tribunals. Senegal is divided into 11 administrative regions, each headed by a governor appointed by and responsible to the President. The law on decentralization, which came into effect in January 1998, distributed significant central government authority to regional assemblies.
Senegal's principal political party was for 40 years the Socialist Party (PS). Its domination of political life came to an end in March 2000, when Abdoulaye Wade, the leader of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and leader of the opposition for more than 25 years, won the presidency. Under the terms of a 2016 amendment to the 2001 constitution, future presidents will serve for 5 years and be limited to two terms. Sall was the last President to be elected to a 7-year term.
President Wade advanced a liberal agenda for Senegal, including privatizations and other market-opening measures. He had a strong interest in raising Senegal's regional and international profile. The country, nevertheless, has limited means with which to implement ambitious ideas. The liberalization of the economy is proceeding, but at a slow pace. Senegal continues to play a significant role in regional and international organizations. President Wade has made excellent relations with the United States a high priority.
There are presently some 72 political parties, most of which are marginal and little more than platforms for their leaders. The principal political parties, however, constitute a true multiparty, democratic political culture, and they have contributed to one of the most successful democratic transitions in Africa, even among all developing countries. A flourishing independent media, largely free from official or informal control, also contributes to the democratic politics of Senegal.
However, the image of Wade as a constitutional democrat has been tarnished by events at the end of his mandate.[ according to whom? ] When faced with internal dissent within his own party his main opponent Idrissa Seck was arrested, accused of treason. Wade refused to go along with holding presidential elections in 2006, arguing that there were economic reasons for wanting to hold the presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously in 2007. [5]
Initially Wade's government had the support of a broad section of groups opposed to the socialist government, but gradually individual parties have disassociated themselves from the government and joined the opposition efforts led by PS. In 2011, Wade attempted to amend the Constitution to allow him to run for another term in office. Large protests by opponents erupted, throughout the Summer of 2011, as well as large counter-protests by government supporters. The crisis has deepened political rifts within the country, which has long been a rare example of stability in the region. [5]
After Senegal's Constitutional Court approved Wade's bid to run for a third presidential term, street protests broke out. The top court's decision was controversial as the Senegalese constitutional amendment, which places a two-term limit on the presidential office, was established about a year after Wade came into power in 2000. [6]
In March 2012, the incumbent president Abdoulaye Wade lost the presidential election and Macky Sall was elected as the new President of Senegal. In August 2017, the ruling party won a landslide victory in the parliamentary election. President Macky Sall's ruling coalition took 125 seats in the 165-seat National Assembly. In 2019 president Macky Sall easily won re-election in the first round. [7] [8]
In March 2024, Opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye won the Senegal’s presidential election over the candidate of the ruling coalition, becoming the youngest president in Senegal’s history. [9]
Candidate | Party | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Macky Sall | Alliance for the Republic | 2,555,426 | 58.26 | |
Idrissa Seck | Rewmi | 899,556 | 20.51 | |
Ousmane Sonko | PASTEF | 687,523 | 15.67 | |
Issa Sall | Party for Unity and Rally | 178,613 | 4.07 | |
Madické Niang | Independent | 65,021 | 1.48 | |
Total | 4,386,139 | 100.00 | ||
Valid votes | 4,386,139 | 99.04 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 42,541 | 0.96 | ||
Total votes | 4,428,680 | 100.00 | ||
Registered voters/turnout | 6,683,043 | 66.27 | ||
Source: Constitutional Council |
Party | Votes | % | Seats | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Constituency | National | Total | ||||||
United in Hope | 1,637,761 | 49.47 | 95 | 30 | 125 | |||
Manko Wattu Sénégal Coalition | 552,095 | 16.68 | 9 | 10 | 19 | |||
Manko Taxawu Sénégal Coalition | 388,188 | 11.73 | 0 | 7 | 7 | |||
Party for Unity and Rally | 155,407 | 4.69 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |||
Kaddu Askan Wi Coalition | 65,235 | 1.97 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
Ndawi Askan Wi | 37,535 | 1.13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Manko Yeesal Sénégal Coalition | 33,130 | 1.00 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Patriotic Convergence for Justice and Equity | 29,596 | 0.89 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Oser l'avenir Coalition | 24,342 | 0.74 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
National Alliance for Democracy – And Saxal Liggeey | 23,142 | 0.70 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Party for Truth and Development | 22,769 | 0.69 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Alternative Pole Third Voice | 19,675 | 0.59 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Initiative for a Policy of Development | 19,211 | 0.58 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Bunt Bi | 18,268 | 0.55 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
Union for Federalism and Democracy | 17,636 | 0.53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Senegal Can Kanam Coalition | 16,142 | 0.49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Manko Wattu Senegal coalition | 14,681 | 0.44 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Movement for Republican Renewal | 14,255 | 0.43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Joyyanti Coalition | 14,231 | 0.43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Défar Senegal | 14,179 | 0.43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
And Défar Sénégal/Group of Support and Renewal of Public Action | 13,145 | 0.40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
And Suxali Senegal Coalition | 12,541 | 0.38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Rally for Dignity and Prosperity | 11,415 | 0.34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Democratic Federation of Ecologists of Senegal | 10,957 | 0.33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Leeral Coalition | 9,689 | 0.29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Party of Peace | 8,850 | 0.27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Convergence of the Initiatives for Senegal | 8,776 | 0.27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Neneen Citizen Convention | 8,727 | 0.26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Mbollo Wade | 8,093 | 0.24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Sunu Party for Solidarity and the Development of Senegal | 7,758 | 0.23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Alternative Visions for Senegal | 7,590 | 0.23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Fal Askan Wi Coalition | 7,474 | 0.23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Framework of Reflection for Integral Development | 7,295 | 0.22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Soppali Coalition | 7,268 | 0.22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
The Third Policy Coalition | 7,033 | 0.21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
National Front | 6,605 | 0.20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Party for Citizen Action | 6,551 | 0.20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Senegal-Vein Environment | 6,398 | 0.19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Senegalese Democratic Rally | 6,099 | 0.18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Alliance for Reform and Development | 5,664 | 0.17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Citizens for Ethics and Transparency | 4,980 | 0.15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Dental Senegal/Patriotic Action | 4,300 | 0.13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Movement for Renewal, Freedom and Development | 4,193 | 0.13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Patriotic Liberal Convergence | 3,301 | 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Republican Patriotic Front | 3,156 | 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Bi Nu Begg Assembly Coalition | 2,951 | 0.09 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Rally for Ethics and Emerging Values | 2,148 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Total | 3,310,435 | 100.00 | 105 | 60 | 165 | |||
Valid votes | 3,310,435 | 99.19 | ||||||
Invalid/blank votes | 27,059 | 0.81 | ||||||
Total votes | 3,337,494 | 100.00 | ||||||
Registered voters/turnout | 6,219,446 | 53.66 | ||||||
Source: Senego |
The nation's highest courts that deal with business issues are the constitutional council, and the Court of Cassation, members of which are named by the president.
Senegal is subdivided into 13 regions (régions, singular – région):
Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kédougou, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Sédhiou, Tambacounda, Thiès, Ziguinchor. Local administrators are all appointed by and responsible to the President.
Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. Senegal is bordered by Mauritania to the north, Mali to the east, Guinea to the southeast and Guinea-Bissau to the southwest. Senegal nearly surrounds The Gambia, a country occupying a narrow sliver of land along the banks of the Gambia River, which separates Senegal's southern region of Casamance from the rest of the country. Senegal also shares a maritime border with Cape Verde. Senegal's economic and political capital is Dakar.
Abdoulaye Wade is a French then Senegalese politician who was President of Senegal from 2000 to 2012. He is also the Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), having led the party since it was founded in 1974. A long-time opposition leader, he ran for President four times, beginning in 1978, before he was elected in 2000. He won re-election in 2007 with a majority in the first round, but was defeated in 2012 in a controversial bid for a third term.
Idrissa Seck is a Senegalese politician who was Prime Minister of Senegal from November 2002 to July 2004. He was a leading member of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and was considered a protégé of President Abdoulaye Wade, but he subsequently went into opposition and was a candidate in the February 2007 presidential election, coming second place with about 15% of the vote.
The Senegalese Democratic Party is a political party in Senegal. The party considers itself a liberal party and is a member of the Liberal International. Abdoulaye Wade, who was President of Senegal from 2000 to 2012, is the party's leader. The PDS ruled together with smaller parties as part of the Sopi Coalition. Since Wade's defeat in the 2012 presidential election, the PDS has been the main opposition party.
The president of Senegal is the head of state and head of government of Senegal. In accordance with the constitutional reform of 2001 and since a referendum that took place on 20 March 2016, the president is elected for a 5-year term, with a limit of two consecutive terms. The following is a list of presidents of Senegal, since the country gained independence from France in 1960.
Macky Sall is a Senegalese politician who served as the 4th President of Senegal from 2012 to 2024. He previously served as the 8th Prime Minister of Senegal from July 2004 to June 2007, under President Abdoulaye Wade and President of the National Assembly from June 2007 to November 2008.
The Socialist Party of Senegal is a political party in Senegal. It was the ruling party in Senegal from independence in 1960 until 2000. In 2000, the party's candidate and previous incumbent president, Abdou Diof, was defeated by the leader of the Senegalese Democratic Party, Abdoulaye Wade.
Presidential elections were held in Senegal on 25 February 2007. Incumbent president Abdoulaye Wade was re-elected in the first round with almost 56% of the vote.
Parliamentary elections were held in Senegal on 3 June 2007 to elect the 150 members of the National Assembly. They had originally been planned to be held together with the presidential election on 25 February 2007, but were postponed. Fourteen parties or coalitions participated in the elections, but they were marked by a major opposition boycott. The ruling Sopi Coalition won 131 seats, including all 90 of the seats elected by majority voting.
Abdoulaye Bathily is a Senegalese politician and diplomat. Bathily, the long-time Secretary-General of the Democratic League/Movement for the Labour Party (LD/MPT), served in the government of Senegal as Minister of the Environment from 1993 to 1998 and as Minister of Energy from 2000 to 2001. Later, he worked as a diplomat for the United Nations, and since 2014 he has been Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Central Africa.
Djibo Leyti Kâ was a Senegalese politician and the Secretary-General of the Union for Democratic Renewal (URD). He was a prominent minister under President Abdou Diouf from 1981 to 1995 and founded the URD in 1998 after splitting from Diouf's Socialist Party (PS). From 2004 to 2012, he again served in the government under President Abdoulaye Wade, initially as Minister of State for Maritime Economy and then as Minister of State for the Environment beginning in 2007. Man of the state, he then was appointed Minister under Macky Sall's government before becoming the Director of the CNDT.
Presidential elections were held in Senegal on 26 February 2012, amidst controversy over the constitutional validity of a third term for incumbent president Abdoulaye Wade. In the runoff on 25 March, Macky Sall defeated the incumbent president. The 2015 documentary film Incorruptible chronicles both campaigns as well as the youth movement Y'en a Marre, which led protests against Wade's administration.
A constitutional referendum was held in Senegal on 20 March 2016. Proposed by President Macky Sall, it was the fourth constitutional referendum in Senegalese history. The proposed changes to the constitution were approved by 62% of voters. Voter turnout was 39%. A majority voted in favour in thirteen of the fourteen regions, with only Diourbel Region seeing a majority against.
Parliamentary elections were held in Senegal on 30 July 2017, having originally been planned for 2 July.
The Manko Taxawu Sénégal is a group of several political parties organised to contest the 2017 Senegalese legislative elections. The coalition was originally intended to form a unified opposition list to challenge President Macky Sall's Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition, but negotiations among key opposition figures broke down over disputes on whether former President Abdoulaye Wade or imprisoned former Mayor of Dakar, Khalifa Sall, would head the list. Wade instead led his own coalition, Mako Wattu Senegal, into the election.
The Democracy in Senegal was touted as one of the more stable democracies in Africa, with a long tradition of peaceful democratic discourse. Democratization proceeded gradually from 1970s to 1990s.
The African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity, or just Patriots of Senegal, is a Senegalese political party founded in 2014 by Ousmane Sonko.
Presidential elections were held in Senegal on 24 March 2024. Incumbent president Macky Sall was ineligible to pursue a third term due to term limits in the Constitution of Senegal.
Events in the year 2024 in Senegal.
Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, commonly known mononymously as Diomaye, is a Senegalese politician and former tax inspector who has served as the 5th and current President of Senegal since 2024. He is the general secretary of the banned party PASTEF, who won the 2024 Senegalese presidential election in place of disqualified candidate Ousmane Sonko, whom he later appointed as Prime Minister of Senegal.
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