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Voting is underway in Senegal in a delayed presidential election that many hope will convey change after a turbulent political interval that sparked violent anti-government protests and elevated assist for the opposition.
Greater than seven million of the nation's 17 million folks have registered to vote within the election, with about 16,440 polling stations open throughout the nation and within the diaspora on Sunday.
Nineteen contenders are competing to switch President Macky Sall, who’s stepping down after a second time period amid unrest over the prosecution of opposition chief Ousmane Sonko and issues that Sall desires to increase his mandate past constitutional limits.
For the primary time in Senegal's historical past, no incumbent is on the poll. His ruling coalition has chosen former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, 62, as its candidate.
Sonko, Sall's foremost rival, was not in a position to take part after being convicted of defamation. Bassirou Diomaye Fay changed Sonko because the PASTEF social gathering candidate.
Along with Ba and Faye, former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall, veteran politician Idrissa Seck, former Prime Minister Mohamed Boun Abdallah Dionne, a detailed aide to President Sall Ali Ngouille Ndiaye and entrepreneur and political newcomer Anta Babacar Ngom – the one girl among the many candidates – are included. . All are a part of the presidential race.
To keep away from repeat elections, a candidate should win greater than 50 p.c of the vote. Whereas official outcomes are anticipated subsequent week, in earlier elections candidates had introduced their predictions within the night on the voting day itself.
Reporting from Dakar, Al Jazeera's Nicholas Haq mentioned it was an “uncommon” election.
“Each are expectations like you’ve got in any election; There is a component of concern and the unknown as a result of that is the primary election within the final 12 years the place President Macky Sall shouldn’t be within the working… and there is a component of pleasure, particularly amongst these younger, first-time voters.
“That is an election like no different and it is extremely essential, particularly for younger folks.”
'Voting for change'
Traces shaped exterior polling stations round Dakar on Sunday. The streets have been quiet because the nation's elite police drive was deployed throughout the town in armored automobiles, checking voters' playing cards.
“I’m very blissful to have the ability to train my proper to vote as a Senegalese citizen,” voter Thiaba Camara C of the group Damen Senegal (Tomorrow Senegal) instructed Al Jazeera at a polling station in Dakar.
“That is one thing we’ve gained as a result of the danger of delaying the elections was too excessive for who is aware of how lengthy, so I’ve been standing within the queue for 2 hours however I’m blissful.”
In Dakar's seaside neighborhood of Ngor, 66-year-old fisherman Aliouane Samba mentioned he was voting for the change everybody desires.
“Meals, water, faculties; Every part is dear in Senegal due to our low earnings,” the daddy of three instructed Reuters information company.
Khodia Ndiayes, a 52-year-old cook dinner, instructed the Related Press information company that she selected Faye on the poll as a result of she wished Sonko to win.
“I'm proud to vote,” he mentioned. “We’d like a brand new president as a result of life is dear, the financial system is unhealthy and we’d like higher faculties.”
Al Jazeera's Haq mentioned it appeared lots of people turned out to vote.
“It's attention-grabbing who these individuals are: a number of younger males but additionally girls, essential on this election as a result of girls are an enormous a part of the voters in Senegal,” he mentioned.
faye vs ba
Faye, who was backed by the extra widespread Sonko to switch him, was detained for nearly a yr in the past on prices together with defamation and contempt of court docket.
An amnesty legislation handed this month allowed his launch days earlier than the vote. He and his colleague Diomaye have campaigned collectively underneath the banner “Diomaye is Sonko”.
“The inhabitants is selecting between continuity and rupture,” Faye mentioned after casting her vote, urging contenders to just accept the consequence.
In the meantime, Ba mentioned he was “very, very, very assured” about his possibilities of victory.
“In these elections, each political camps stand on reverse sides of the political spectrum,” Mukahid Durmaz, a senior political threat analyst for West Africa at Verisk Maplecroft, instructed Al Jazeera.
He mentioned whereas outgoing President Sall and his ruling coalition's candidate Ba favored financial liberalization insurance policies, opposition chief Sonko and his chosen candidate Faye favored introducing a brand new forex within the nation and renegotiating contracts with oil and fuel operators. Have deliberate to speak to.
“The difficulty right here is that regardless of the financial increase that the nation has seen over the previous few years underneath President Sall, it has not likely helped drive broader socio-economic improvement for the nation's younger inhabitants,” Durmaz mentioned.
financial points
Unemployment is the second main situation within the elections.
Frustration over the shortage of job alternatives has pushed assist for Sonko and his endorsed candidate Faye, particularly among the many youth.
The share of younger Senegalese not in employment, training or coaching was 35 p.c in 2019, earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic additional squeezed the job market.
Along with unemployment, the rising value of residing and the appreciation of the US greenback as a consequence of Russia's conflict in Ukraine have diminished assist for the present ruling Senegalese authorities.
The beginning of oil and fuel manufacturing in late 2024 has additionally raised questions on whether or not pure useful resource wealth will profit the broader inhabitants and create jobs.
The Sonko-backed opposition coalition has promised to renegotiate vitality contracts to maximise revenues, whereas Ba is working on the slogan of “shared prosperity”.
'Quiet' voting course of
Whereas the elections are being held amid gloom over the delicate financial system, the voting course of has been comparatively peaceable, in keeping with election observers.
Tons of of election observers from civil society, the African Union, the regional grouping Financial Group of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union have been monitoring the equity of the vote.
“From the inauguration this morning, our observers – and it is a partial piece of the image – we’ve seen that there are appreciable queues in entrance of the places of work, which reveals that individuals are united in going and exercising their proper to vote and categorical These are his concepts for the way forward for Senegal,” Malin Bjork of the EU election observer mission to Senegal instructed Al Jazeera.
“The election places of work are working properly. It’s quiet; “As per our observations, there’s peace on this course of.”
“I believe at the moment is an excellent day for us,” the Ar Sunu Elections (Defend Our Elections) group, led by Dr Abdoulaye Bousso, instructed Al Jazeera in Dakar.
When Sall introduced the cancellation of the elections in February, the nation's civil society, together with Bosso's group, created an uproar.
“We fought to make this election day successful and we’re very proud to see the nice mobilization of the Senegalese folks.
“For us, it is a victory for Senegalese democracy.”