Pro-Pan-Africanism opposition candidate wins Senegalese election
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Anti-establishment candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye wins Senegal's presidency, marking the country's first-ever victory for an opposition candidate in the initial round of voting.
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Supporters of presidential candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye gather outside his campaign headquarters after preliminary results put him as the expected winner, in Dakar, Senegal, Monday, March 25, 2024. (AP)
In a historic turn of events, Bassirou Diomaye Faye is set to become Senegal's youngest president after winning the election in the first round of voting.
This victory marks a significant shift in Senegalese politics, as it's the first time an opposition candidate has achieved such a feat, in the first round of voting, since the country gained independence from France in 1960.
Faye's opponent has conceded defeat, and even outgoing President Macky Sall has congratulated him, hailing it as a victory for Senegalese democracy.
Official results are expected before the end of the week. An absolute majority was required for a first-round win.
Faye, who was recently released from prison only 10 days before the Senegalese elections, has pledged to pursue left-wing pan-Africanism and plans to renegotiate gas and oil contracts as Senegal prepares to tap into new reserves.
According to El Hadji Mamadou Mbaye, a political science lecturer and researcher at the University of Saint-Louis, "People are hungry for change when you see what is happening in this country in terms of corruption, non-respect of the law."
Prior to the elections, which launched earlier on Sunday, it was reported that around 7.3 million voters were registered and two favorites emerged: the governing coalition's former prime minister 62-year-old Amadou Ba and anti-establishment candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
In addition to the two favorites, there were 15 other candidates in the running, including a sole woman and former Dakar mayor 68-year-old Khalifa Sall.
Earlier: Senegal constitutional body overturns presidential vote delay
