The U.S., France and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have all called on Senegal to respect the decision of the country’s Constitutional Council, which invalidated President Macky Sall’s decision to postpone the presidential election initially scheduled for the end of February.
In a statement released on Friday, President Sall acknowledged the Council’s decision, stating that it is part of the normal judicial mechanisms of democracy and the rule of law. He expressed his commitment to respecting the Court’s ruling and assured the public that he would engage in the necessary consultations to organize the presidential election as soon as possible, without delay.
France’s deputy spokesperson for the Quai d’Orsay stated in a press release on Friday, “France takes note of the decision of the Constitutional Council of February 15 and calls on the authorities and all Senegalese actors to respect it in its entirety, and to organize the elections as soon as possible.”
Similarly, the American Embassy in Dakar welcomed the decision of the Constitutional Council to cancel the postponement of the presidential election. In a press release, the embassy stated, “We welcome the decision of the Constitutional Council to put Senegal back on the path to a presidential election on time. We hope that Senegalese citizens will have the opportunity to go to the polls very soon.”
ECOWAS has also urged Senegal to set a new date for the presidential elections, following the Constitutional Council’s ruling that President Macky Sall’s postponement to December was unconstitutional. In a note released, the regional organization urged “all stakeholders in the electoral process to respect the decision of the Constitutional Council and called on the competent authorities to set a date for the presidential elections.”
The call from the U.S., France and ECOWAS comes as Senegal navigates a complex political situation, with the Constitutional Council’s decision setting the stage for a potentially contentious presidential election process.
