Senegal president Macky Sall backtracks on postponement of election, promises to hold election “as soon as possible”

Senegal’s President Macky Sall on Friday pledged to organise presidential elections “as soon as possible” after the Constitutional Council overruled his decision to postponed February election to December.

“The President of the Republic intends to fully implement the decision of the Constitutional Council,” the presidency said in a statement. “To this end, the Head of State will without delay carry out the consultations necessary to organise the presidential election as soon as possible”.

The Council, Senegal’s top election authority, on Thursday voided the government’s postponement of a presidential election scheduled for February 25 and its rescheduling for December 15, ruling that the moves were unconstitutional.

The National Assembly’s decision on February 5 to reschedule the vote was “contrary to the constitution,” the judgement said. “The constitutional council, noting the impossibility of organising the presidential election on the date initially planned, invites the competent authorities to hold it as soon as possible,” it added.