In a revealing editorial titled “In Senegal, the (last) choice of Macky Sall,” published on Tuesday, Marwane Ben Yahmed, the publishing director of “Jeune Afrique,” shed light on the crisis exit strategy of Senegal’s current president.

Ben Yahmed believes it’s time to focus on what’s essential: “Organize the Presidential election as quickly as possible, in the least bad conditions and come out on top.”

According to him, President Macky Sall’s plan to end the crisis is clear: conduct political consultations to reach a consensus on the rules of the election, organize an inclusive election by including more than the twenty candidates validated by the Council, revise the sponsorship system to limit it to the anointing of elected officials rather than citizens, and promulgate an amnesty law to appease tensions, including the release of Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

Ben Yahmed acknowledges the looming deadline of April 2, which marks the end of Sall’s mandate. However, he argues that contrary to demands for Sall’s departure at this deadline, the president should remain in office until his successor is enthroned, with the interim only intervening in cases of impediment.

If Sall can obtain consensus with key political leaders, Ben Yahmed suggests that the election could be delayed by a few weeks beyond April 2, possibly to May or June, to allow for a more organized process.

He envisions Amadou Ba remaining the candidate of the presidential coalition Benno Bokk Yaakaar (BBY), forming an alliance for the second round with the PDS of Wade, Rewmi of Idrissa Seck, and Taxawu Senegaal of Khalifa Sall, creating a sort of Republican front against Pastef.

Ben Yahmed concludes, “May the best win,” indicating that the outcome of such a strategy would be left to the electorate.