Senegal's Ruling Party Achieves Landmark Victory in Legislative Elections
In a decisive outcome, Senegal's ruling PASTEF party has secured a significant victory in the recent legislative elections, capturing 130 of the 165 parliamentary seats, according to preliminary results. This victory empowers newly elected President Baciro Diomaye Faye to pursue his ambitious reform agenda, as the ruling party now holds a crucial 60% majority needed to amend the constitution without requiring a referendum.
Government spokesman Amadou Moustapha N'Dick Sary praised the Senegalese electorate for their overwhelming support, stating that PASTEF received between 90 to 95 percent of the votes. He emphasized the importance of this mandate for the legitimacy of the new government, particularly in the eyes of international partners. Reliable forecasts regarding the new parliamentary composition are expected to be released shortly.
The main opposition coalition, Tako Walo, led by former President Macky Sall, managed to secure only 16 seats. Sall acknowledged PASTEF's victory on social media, while other opposition leaders, including Dakar's mayor Barthelemy Dias and Amadou Ba, who was the runner-up in the recent presidential election, conceded defeat soon after the polls closed. Despite the lack of major incidents during the voting process, Tako Walo accused PASTEF of orchestrating widespread electoral fraud.
Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who played a pivotal role in this electoral success, won a substantial majority in Ziguinchor. Although initially slated to be the presidential candidate for PASTEF, Sonko's candidacy was invalidated due to a two-year prison sentence handed down in June 2023. Since taking office alongside Faye in March, Sonko has criticized the opposition-led parliament for obstructing government initiatives, leading to the dissolution of parliament in September and the call for early elections. Faye and Sonko have committed to tackling corruption, diversifying economic partnerships, reforming the fishing industry, and enhancing the management of Senegal's natural resources.
