Senegal prepares for presidential elections this Sunday, a process marked by a turbulent and uncertain path to fixed polling dates after President Macky Sall sought to delay the vote and faced broad opposition criticism. In the end, polling stations will open and Senegalese voters will choose mainly between two paths: continuity led by Amadou Ba, the current prime minister and the president’s designated candidate, and a reformist opposition option represented by Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who champions a more anticolonial and disruptive tone.
In addition to these two frontrunners, analysts point to a slate of fifteen other candidates competing for the presidency. The vote signals a new political phase for the country, as Sall will not seek another term after twelve years in office. Initially the election was slated for February 25, but just days before campaigning began Sall announced delays without naming a new date. The primary justification cited was a rift between the National Assembly and the Constitutional Council following the publication of the candidate list and accusations of irregularities by several parties.
What followed was branded a “constitutional coup” by the opposition, with days of street protests that left three youths dead. The state intermittently cut internet access and shut down a private TV channel broadcasting the demonstrations. The postponement intensified tensions and drew reproaches from institutions and international players such as the African Union, the European Union, and the United States, urging the president to set a new date for ballots as soon as possible.
Eventually Sall had to set the elections for March 24, following a ruling from the Constitutional Council urging him to schedule voting before the end of his term on April 2. The same body affirmed that the candidate list would remain the one originally planned for the late February elections. This decision helped ease anxiety and reduce uncertainty, though at times the president had suggested delaying the vote until the end of the year and extending his mandate until a successor could take over.
Amnesty for Opposition Leaders
On the night of March 14, thousands returned to the streets, this time carrying portraits of the main opposition figure Ousmane Sonko and the candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Both men were in custody but were released after the government approved a recent amnesty. Sonko had spent nearly eight months in detention over multiple legal cases including charges of corrupting the youth and inciting June protests in Dakar. He remains the opposition’s most prominent figure, admired by younger voters for his anti-establishment stance. He was joined by his party’s leading candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who had been under preventive detention for about eleven months on defamation and contempt charges related to remarks about judges.
Although Sonko hoped to run in the elections, his prior convictions prevented it. His number two, Diomaye Faye, is widely viewed as a strong contender for victory and has begun campaigning under the slogan “Diomaye is Sonko” alongside images that emphasize renewal and a critical stance toward the ruling class. The movement promises to renegotiate contracts with international firms in sectors like fishing and energy and embraces a strong anticolonial narrative. With the national median age around 19, the country’s youth will play a decisive role in Sunday’s polling, given their higher levels of vulnerability and limited access to opportunities.
Migration Cooperation
These presidential elections also attract attention abroad. Senegal is seen as one of the region’s most stable states and holds significant sway in regional policies. It maintains solid ties with Spain and plays a key part in Madrid’s strategy to curb migratory flows toward the Canary Islands. Toward the end of last year, Spain’s interior and foreign ministers visited Dakar to strengthen migration cooperation. Along with Morocco and Mauritania, Senegal stands as a major partner for Spain on the African continent.