Macky Sall Elected Senegal President in Landmark Election

Freedom House welcomes Abdoulaye Wade’s announcement that he will concede the presidency in Senegal after losing a run-off election to his competitor, Macky Sall.  The reportedly free and fair elections should serve as an important example to neighboring countries in a region where electoral turnovers are often fraught with violence. The surprising concession comes after months of tension in the lead-up to the election in which Wade seemed to be making efforts to maintain power, including adding a constitutional third term to the presidency. Prior to the first round of voting, in which Wade received 34.8 % of the vote and Sall came in second with 26.6% of the vote, there were large-scale protests against the incumbent. In the run-off election, the opposition put public support behind Sall.

Senegal is an electoral democracy and one of the few African countries that has never experienced a coup d’état. The Observatory of Elections has credibly overseen legislative and presidential polls since its creation in 1997. Wade served for at least two terms, his second term began with doubts as to the legitimacy of his reelection. During his second term, the government amended the constitution more than a dozen times. The public also resented his attempts to ensure his son Karim succeeded him as president. Wade’s recent attempt to get re-elected for a third term, in defiance of the constitution, resulted in widespread protests.

Learn more:

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Freedom of the Press 2011: Senegal

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