Senegal President Macky Sall rules out re-election bid after violent unrest
- Rumours that the leader would try to extend his stay in power have fuelled riots in which dozens have been killed
- Sall’s announcement is likely to quell fears of a democratic backslide in Senegal, and will trigger a search for a successor just months before the polls
Senegal President Macky Sall will not run for re-election next year, he said in a speech on Monday, ending widespread speculation that he would seek a third term his critics said would have been illegal.
Rumours that Sall would try to extend his stay in power have fuelled bouts of unrest since 2021 in which dozens have been killed, shaking Senegal’s reputation for calm in a restive region.
“There has been much speculation and commentary on my eventual candidature on this election,” Sall said in a televised speech. “The 2019 term was my second and last term.”
“My decision, carefully considered … is not to run as a candidate in the upcoming election on February 25, 2024. And this, even though the constitution grants me the right,” he said.
Sall’s announcement is likely to quell fears of a democratic backslide in Senegal. Some had worried he would follow other regional leaders, including in Ivory Coast and Togo, who used changes to the constitution as an excuse to reset their mandate and extend their hold on power.