Why do these elections matter?
It should have been one of Africa’s most boring polls.
Senegal, with a stable economy, is seen as a stable, safe country – no small feat in west Africa, where coups, crises and insurgencies abound. A president seen as a steady hand is stepping down after two terms. A pool of candidates comes mainly from the political old guard.
But then the president, Macky Sall, blew up any possibility of a secular election. He went on state television and canceled the vote, accusing him of corruption in the way candidates were approved by the constitutional court.
In the uproar that followed, Mr Sall backtracked and said the vote would be held on March 24, nine days before his term ends. And then, in a dramatic move, he released the chief opposition candidate and leader of the opposition party from prison.
Who’s running?
The ruling party’s candidate is Amandou Ba, former prime minister. The man many see as the main challenger, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has just been released from prison. He is supported by a popular but divisive politician, Ousmane Sonko. Then there are 17 other candidates, among them former mayors and prime ministers.
But what is more important is who is not a candidate. That would be Mr Sonko, who cannot take part because he was convicted of corrupting a minor, in a scandal involving a young massage parlor employee who accused him of rape. Mr Sonko is the main challenger to Mr Sall, a (relatively) young former tax inspector who has recently dominated politics in Senegal, mainly by criticizing the elites and promising to help Senegal’s unemployed youth.
Mr Sonko has many critics. But many young Senegalese say he speaks truth to power and have repeatedly taken to the streets in his defense despite the risk of death at the hands of the police. Along with Mr. Fay, he was released from prison on Thursday night.
The other major figure who cannot run is Karim Wade, son of former president Abdoulaye Wade, who tried to cling to power in 2012 but was defeated by Mr Sall. The younger Mr Wade, who is French-Senegalese, is ruled out as a candidate because he had not renounced his French citizenship when he submitted his candidacy. This is what started all the ruckus and led to Mr. Sall’s annulment of the election.
What are the main issues?
The economy is big — most Senegalese say the economic situation is bad and managing it is the most important problem facing the government, according to Afrobarometer, an independent research network. The economy is growing, but more than 36 percent of people live in poverty.
Almost a third of young people are unemployed and many have set their sights on reaching Europe or America to try to improve their prospects. Thousands travel by boat to the Canary Islands, dangerous desert roads to the Mediterranean or, more recently, circuitous routes by plane, bus or foot to Central America.
When will the results be announced?
Results from the first round are expected about a week after next Sunday’s election, but many analysts expect a second round. The last time it happened, the second round took place about a month after the first round. Mr. Sall says he will step down by April 2, and if there is a runoff, according to the constitutional council, the head of the national assembly, Amadou Mame Diop, should take over in the interim.
Who is likely to win?
Almost certainly a former taxman. Mr Ba, who stepped down as prime minister to focus on one of the shortest political campaigns, is a former tax inspector. So is Mr. Faye, who is not well known but has a good chance of winning simply because he was anointed by Mr. Sonko.
Neither Mr. Ba nor Mr. Faye is particularly popular in Senegal, and neither is expected to win in a landslide. But if the election goes to a runoff, many analysts say it will be a choice between the two.
Where can I find more information?
Senegal’s top opposition politicians released from prison just before elections
The President of Senegal calls off national elections. His critics call it a coup.
‘State killed my brother’: Senegal upset after deadly protests
Deadly boat accident in Senegal raises concern for patrols to stop migrants
What other elections are taking place?
Russia
Slovakia
Iran
India
