Senegalese presidential elections, originally scheduled to take place on February 25, 2024, were postponed to December after President Macky Sall claimed that a dispute between the legislative and judicial branches needed to be resolved before elections could take place.

President Sall announced the postponement just three weeks before voting was set to take place, citing a dispute between the parliament and the country’s Constitutional Council over the disqualification of some candidates as justification. He stated it creates a “sufficiently serious and confusing situation.” 

As a result of the postponement, pro-democracy protests against the postponement erupted throughout Senegal. Three people were killed and dozens were arrested, causing overall chaos in the democratic country. Authorities banned a scheduled protest against the President’s move because it could hamper traffic, according to one of the organizers of the march. Mobile internet coverage was also restricted due to the “dissemination on social networks of several subversive hate messages that have already provoked violent demonstrations,” the Ministry of Communication, Telecommunications and Digital Energy wrote in a statement. 

The U.S. Department of State wrote that it is “deeply concerned” by President Sall’s actions to delay the election, which run contrary to Senegal’s democratic tradition. The Department wrote that it urges Senegal to move forward with its election in accordance with the Constitution and to restore full internet access immediately to “ensure that freedoms of peaceful assembly and expression…. are fully respected.”

President Sall was scheduled to end his second presidential term at the end of February, and stated in a July address that he would not run for a third term despite the constitution allowing him to rerun. In 2016, when President Sall was four years into his first term, he held a referendum that shortened the president’s term from seven years to five. At the time, President Sall argued that his first term—prior to the referendum—did not count, thus setting the clock back. President Sall had also stated during the 2011 election campaign that, “a president cannot extend his term of office” as it is “not possible.” Nevertheless, his actions are likely to extend his term in office, going against the text of the Constitution, as well as calling into question the integrity of Senegal’s democracy.

This postponement comes as a surprise, considering Senegal is broadly seen as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies, with this year’s postponement being the first time a presidential election was delayed in the country since its independence from France in 1960. Although the country is stable electorally, it still faces challenges with governmental corruption and inadequate protections for some minority groups. The country is known for its relatively independent media and free expression, despite defamation laws that continue to constrain press freedom, which explains the widespread disruption that followed the removal of access. 

President Sall’s arguably impactful presidency further characterizes the postponement as a surprise. His presidency has been characterized by his HeforShe campaign in which he, with presidents of other African countries, worked towards the increase of gender mainstreaming and women's empowerment in Senegal's public policies. He also championed a development plan named “Emerging Senegal,” which aimed to transform the country’s economy and living conditions. Infrastructure in the country was expanded and upgraded, and construction began on Diamniadio intended to draw activity away from the overcrowded capital of Dakar and create employment opportunities.

Sall’s actions were unusual, especially considering that in 2017, he mobilized Senegalese soldiers to neighboring Gambia after Yahya Jammeh, who lost the presidential vote, refused to step down despite his election defeat. Now, seven years later, President Sall has refused to undergo a peaceful transition of power. 

The country’s Constitutional Council recently overturned the delay in Senegal’s presidential election, calling President Sall’s decision “unconstitutional.” The National Assembly’s decision to reschedule the vote was “contrary to the constitution,” the judgment said, reiterating the fixed nature of the  presidential term. Gilles Yabi, founder of West Africa Citizen Think Tank, called the council’s decision “excellent news for democracy,” and for the West African region.

The council’s ability to overturn President Sall’s postponement should be seen as a victory for Senegal. With an effective system in place, the institution has not allowed the current president to undermine the country’s integrity and challenge its democracy. The quick overturn signifies a strong system within the country, one that will not be altered by a president’s attempts, and one that will not fall victim to the phenomenon of democratic backsliding in Western Africa.