According to Ndiawar Paye, a commission member, Senegal’s national dialogue panel will suggest delaying the June 2 presidential election and recommending that President Macky Sall stay in power until his successor is sworn in.
Sall’s decision to postpone the election that was originally slated for February 25 has plunged the West African nation—which is expected to become a producer of oil and gas by the end of the year—into an unparalleled political crisis.
The proposed date comes after two days of talks that Sall arranged to defuse tensions.
As one of the more stable democracies in coup-affected West Africa, his and the parliament’s unsuccessful attempt to push out the poll scheduled for February 25 by ten months caused discontent and predictions of a democratic backslide.
Paye told Reuters that Sall will get the advice and make the final decision.
In a phone conversation, he stated that although Sall’s decision may be made on Tuesday or Wednesday, it was unknown if he would accept the advice.
Several opposition members boycotted the negotiations in the capital, Dakar, some of whom wanted the referendum to take place before Sall’s mandate ended on April 2.
According to Paye, the panel decided that the best time to hold the vote was in the early part of June. He remarked, “The polls could not be held in May because of the numerous religious festivals that fall during that month.”
It was unclear right away how the opposition would react to the suggested date.
(Reuters)
