Il Senegal at a turning point: the country has a new president, but above all a new course to follow. The results of Sunday’s vote have yet to be validated by the Constitutional Court, but the opponent’s victory Bassirou Diomaye – The Best Of Bassirou Diomaye44 years old, after hours of cheering in the squares, was recognized by the other candidate in the running, Amadou Baof the presidential camp and by the outgoing president himself, Macky Sall. Despite the 19 candidates, in the end it was a duel between Ba and Diomaye, which decreed the victory of the opposition: on one side the former prime minister (formerly Minister of Economy and Foreign Affairs), dolphin of the outgoing president , on the other the candidate of Pastef (African patriots of Senegal for work, ethics and fraternity), former tax inspector, jailed in April 2023 due to a post in which he criticized some magistrates, released on the evening of March 14th and took over from the more well-known challenger Ousmane Sonkowhose candidacy had been rejected by the Constitutional Council.
The elections were held in a calm atmosphere and no incidents or problems of any kind were recorded. A happy ending, in short, after weeks of tensions for one of the most stable countries on the African continent, which has never seen a coup d’état and which has always respected democratic rules. For this reason he had raised alive street protests the news of the postponement sine the of the vote, then returned and resolved only with a delay of a month thanks to the refusal of the Constitutional Court to set a later date.
And so last night, after receiving the congratulatory phone call from the outgoing president Macky Sall, the newly elected Diomaye Faye pronounced his first words as head of state: “This is the victory of all the Senegalese here and in the diaspora. Senegalese women and men, my dear compatriots, foreign guests who live among us, the holding of the presidential elections that we have just experienced above all consecrates the victory of the Senegalese people in the fight for the defense of their sovereignty and his democratic values”.
A real victory for democratic institutions and the maturity of the Senegalese electorate, first and foremost. And now a significant shift in the country is expected international chessboard: “I would like to say to the international community, to our bilateral and multilateral partners, that Senegal will always maintain its status, will remain the Friendly country e the safe and reliable ally of any partner who engages with us in a virtuous cooperation, respectful and mutually productive”. Words that are intended to sound reassuring, since beyond the satisfaction with the regular conduct of the vote, a certain apprehension hovers in Western chancelleries due to the government program which led Faye to victory. Let’s talk about proposals for changes within theEcowas (the Economic Community of West African States), but also a review of contracts for the exploitation of gas field found in the waters bordering the Mauritaniasigned by the previous government, and an exit from CFA francsthe West African currency linked to the France. Not by chance, The world headlines calling him a “sovereignist candidate”.
“The Senegalese people have chosen to break with the current system,” insisted Diomaye Faye, underlining the change after 12 years of Macky Sall’s presidency, but adding that the priority for him will first and foremost be “national reconciliation” after months of deep fractures, then one review of institutionsil “strengthening living together”, a significant one reduction in the cost of living and, finally, inclusive and sectoral national concertations on the evaluation and relaunch of public policies.
In the electoral program there are also the function of the national financial institutions existing in a single one Public Investment Bank (BPIS) to also be extended to the diaspora, the birth of a Postal Bank and the creation of a “People’s Economic Patriotism Savings Account” to finance the small and medium-sized enterprises local or regional. Bassirou Diomaye Faye also committed to fight corruption at all levels and addressed a thought to women and young people, “an important part of the nation’s resources”, for whom he pledged to fight to “shorten their suffering and lack of prospects” through his project which aims to “help release the creative energy that lies dormant in all of us”. In the face of facts, Diomaye will have to face a dramatic rate of unemployment which reaches 20%.
This is how Diomaye Faye presents himself: unknown to the general Senegalese public until a year ago, today he is the fifth and youngest president of this country since 18 million inhabitants, of which 7 are entitled to vote. His exploit is contained in the slogan with which he presented himself to the voters: “Sonko is Diomaye and Diomaye is Sonko”.