The victory of the opponent Bassirou Diomaye Faye in the Senegalese presidential elections held on Sunday represents a radical change in the international politics of, until now, one of Paris's great allies in West Africa. The first official results, with close to 90% of the votes counted, give almost 57% of the votes to the anti-government candidate.
The winner has already expressed his intention to make a substantial change to the regime, until now supervised by France, its former metropolis, with the application of a pan-Africanist leftist strategy. After the break with Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, the Elysée could lose that privileged status in the most stable territory of the Sahel and in which it has great strategic and economic interests.
The acceptance of victory by Amadou Ba, the official candidate, is conclusive proof of the democratic credibility of Senegal, a country that has never suffered a coup d'état and boasts exceptional political stability in the region. The coming months will also constitute the litmus test for a transition that is not free of risks.
Until the last moment, the Government of former President Macky Sall has tried to stop this wave with maneuvers aimed at hindering the electoral progression of its rivals. The delay of the elections to the Executive has been his last and failed resort. In reality, Diomaye replaces Ousmane Sonko, the natural leader of this anti-establishment movement who was removed from the electoral race after being prosecuted for a rape complaint.
The future Senegalese leader has spent eleven months in prison, from which he was released just ten days ago. Among other charges, he has been accused of inciting rebellion and undermining state security. The aforementioned government offensive against the opposition opened an unprecedented crisis in Senegal with the generation of riots resulting in four deaths. The growing tension could be calmed with the decision of the Constitutional Council to maintain the electoral calendar and an amnesty law that has freed hundreds of detainees.
Abandonment of the franc
The abandonment of the CFA franc is one of Diomaye's star measures. Added to the withdrawal of this currency, created by France to strengthen its position in the area, is its intention to fight corruption, an endemic evil, and renegotiate contracts signed with foreign companies on fishing, mining and hydrocarbons. This decision is crucial because, starting in May, the Sangomar oil field is scheduled to come online, in the north of the country, with an estimated production of 100,000 barrels per day.
The support of the urban classes and, above all, of young people, more than 60% of the population and with unemployment rates higher than 30%, explain the success of the opposition. The country, with 12.5 million inhabitants, enjoys an enviable political record, but its citizens have not benefited socially from that democratic tradition. More than 50% of the Senegalese subsist below the poverty line and, until now, their means were mainly agricultural, although they have to import more than 70% of their food.
The appearance of this disruptive current took place in 2014. Sonko and Diomaye, tax inspectors, created the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity party, the seed of subsequent alliances that in 2022 took over the main mayoralties and acceded to second place in the National Assembly. Not even its illegalization has stopped growth encouraged by generational change and fatigue with the status quo.
France maintains military bases in this territory, located between the desert and the Atlantic Ocean. Senegal is practically the only country in the Sahel that, until now, has been preserved from the jihadist offensive that affects the region.
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