Gambiaj.com – (DAKAR, Senegal) – In a dramatic political development, the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) of former President Abdoulaye Wade and the Alliance Pour la République (APR) of former President Macky Sall have announced an unprecedented coalition ahead of the early legislative elections scheduled for November 17, 2024.

The move by APR and PDS clearly aims to disrupt Faye’s bid for his Pastef party to secure a majority and hinder his promised reforms.

Pastef, the party of Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye competed in the 2022 legislative election under the opposition Yewwi Askan Wi coalition that won 56 seats. It will run under its own banner in the upcoming poll.

Sall’s Alliance for the Republic party (APR) and Wade’s Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), who announced their unexpected alliance on Sunday, had 106 of 165 seats in the outgoing national assembly.

This unexpected alliance between two traditionally rival parties was formalized during a meeting at the Oumar Lamine Badji National Office on Sunday, September 22, according to a joint press release. High-level delegations from both parties highlighted their “perfect convergence of views” and expressed their commitment to forming a “grand political coalition.”

As part of the agreement, the PDS will join the Alliance for Electoral Transparency (ATEL), an APR initiative, emphasizing both parties’ dedication to ensuring transparent elections. The coalition aims to “secure a decisive victory” in the upcoming legislative elections and extends an invitation to “all political organizations and active forces in the country” to join their ranks.

To solidify their partnership, the PDS and APR have established a joint technical committee tasked with developing the coalition’s operational framework and broadening its scope.

Beyond the electoral agenda, both parties underscored their commitment to addressing pressing social issues and meeting the needs of the Senegalese people, positioning the coalition as a proactive response to the country’s challenges.

Since his election, Faye and firebrand prime minister Ousmane Sonko have embarked on financial audits of the former administration, imposed travel bans on some former officials, and appointed mostly their party officials to key positions, leading to a fallout with some former allies.

PDS and APR have called on all national organizations and active forces to “unite under this new political entity for a resounding victory” that will enable them to “tackle social emergencies and address the concerns of the Senegalese people.”

APR said in a separate statement that former prime minister Idrissa Seck, who has run for president several times, would also join the coalition.