Senegalese President Macky Sall has unequivocally announced his intention to step down from his position as head of state on April 2, coinciding with the expiration of his term.
In a statement shared on his official X page (formerly Twitter), President Sall declared, "The National Dialogue has set June 2, 2024, as the new date for the presidential elections in Senegal. I want to emphasize that I will vacate my office on April 2, as previously stated. The date of my departure is firmly fixed."
This confirmation follows recommendations made during a national dialogue held on February 26-27, which proposed holding the presidential elections on June 2 and extending Sall's term until the inauguration of a new head of state. However, a segment of the opposition has rejected the idea of extending Sall's mandate and insists on holding elections before April 2.
The current constitutional framework does not provide clear guidelines for resolving this situation. While the opposition argues that the president's mandate is strictly limited to five years and cannot be extended, Sall's supporters cite Article 36 of the constitution, which stipulates that the president "shall remain in office until his successor assumes power."
The ultimate decision regarding the transitional period after April 2 rests with Senegal's Constitutional Council (CC). The CC is tasked with approving the proposed election date, endorsed by the national dialogue and supported by President Sall.
On February 3, in a televised address to the nation, President Sall announced the postponement of the presidential election due to "uncertainty surrounding the candidates." Subsequently, Senegal's parliament approved the postponement of the election from February 25 to December 15 and extended President Sall's term. However, on February 15, the CC declared these decisions unlawful and overturned them, urging authorities to conduct presidential elections as soon as possible. Additionally, the CC emphasized that the president's powers cannot be extended by parliamentary action after April 2. Both the head of state and parliament have acknowledged the decisions of the CC. On February 20, the CC updated the list of presidential candidates to include 19 individuals.
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Based on materials from TASS