In the wake of Senegalese President Macky Sall's announcement that the country's presidential election on 25 February would be postponed, just hours before the start of the election campaign, on Sunday 4 February the European Union expressed its concern at the uncertainty facing the country (see EUROPE 13323/11).
“The announcement by the Senegalese authorities of a sine die postponement of the presidential election scheduled for 25 February opens up a period of uncertainty in Senegal”, said Nabila Massrali, spokeswoman for the European External Action Service, in a statement published on Sunday afternoon.
She added: “The European Union supports the position expressed by ECOWAS and calls on all stakeholders to work, in a mood of calm, towards the holding of transparent, inclusive and credible elections as soon as possible, in accordance with the rule of law, in order to preserve Senegal's long tradition of stability and democracy”.
Clashes immediately broke out on Sunday evening between demonstrators and the forces of law and order, with the opposition and the population denouncing an institutional coup d'état.
President Sall is suspected of wanting to remain in power, possibly until August, after attempting to run for a third term (see EUROPE 13194/29). The chances of the presidential majority candidate (PDS) being elected were slim. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)