In the heart of Louga, a key city in northern Sénégal, the leader of the ruling party Pastef Les Patriotes made a bold appeal to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Ousmane Sonko, also serving as Speaker of the National Assembly, seized the moment during a high-energy rally to call for clarity on the timing of the upcoming local elections.
Addressing a packed crowd of militants and supporters, Sonko framed the issue as a matter of administrative consistency. He drew a direct parallel between the presidential decrees appointing or dismissing officials and the decree required to announce election dates. « Whether it’s dismissing Fadilou Keïta or Waly Diouf Bodiang, these are within the president’s powers—no one disputes that. But the same process must apply to setting the election date. They’re all just decrees, » he declared to thunderous applause.
Sonko’s remarks come amid weeks of mounting pressure against any delay in the local elections. At the Louga event, he went further, suggesting that the delay in announcing the election schedule may stem from the president’s unease over the growing momentum of the ruling party. In his view, President Faye might be concerned that the « fervor and mobilization » of « patriots » could reshape political dynamics in the country.
