Senegalese voters head to the polls this weekend for pivotal parliamentary elections, pitting former rivals Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and ex-President Macky Sall against each other in a race to control the 165-seat National Assembly.
The snap elections follow President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s September dissolution of parliament, citing obstruction by opposition lawmakers. Economic hardships, including rising unemployment, inflation, and recent flooding, have fueled public discontent, raising the stakes for all contenders.
Sall, campaigning remotely from Morocco, accuses Faye’s administration of undoing his economic progress, while the government blames opposition mismanagement for delays in reforms. Despite reports of harassment against Sonko’s supporters, analysts say Faye’s ruling Pastef party may secure a majority, thanks to Sonko’s active grassroots outreach.
The outcome will decide whether Faye can push forward his agenda or face a gridlocked parliament.
- Tags: Elections, Macky Sall, Ousmane Sonko, Parliament, Politics, Senegal
