Senegal sets March 24 as final date for presidential elections
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Senegal's top court rejects proposal by President Macky Sall to postpone the elections for a second time.
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Senegalese lawmakers take part in the first National Assembly session since the July 2022 legislative elections, in Dakar on September 12, 2022. (AFP)
Senegal on Wednesday announced that a delayed presidential election will be held on March 24, after a top court ruled that a proposal to further push them back was unconstitutional.
The elections were initially scheduled on February 25.
President Macky Sall had proposed to push the elections to April 2, the day his mandate expires, however, the opposition accused him of attempting to carry out a coup after filing for a second delay.
He had earlier proposed to hold the elections in December, which led to the eruption of deadly protests across the country.
On Wednesday, President Sall dissolved the government and replaced Prime Minister Amadou Ba, the ruling coalition's presidential candidate.
Wednesday also saw an amnesty law being passed by the parliament, potentially leading to the release of some opposition figures and Sall supporters charged with unlawful assembly. But jailed opposition leader Ousmane Sonko, who was earlier barred from running for office, is unlikely to be released on time to vote in the elections.
Read more: Clashes erupt between police, protesters over vote delay: Senegal
