Senegal’s optimism rises with Diomaye’s reform mandate

Senegal’s ruling party, PASTEF, secured an overwhelming parliamentary majority following the country’s legislative election held earlier this month.

PASTEF won 130 of 165 seats, up from the 56 it held before the vote, according to provisional results announced by the national vote-counting commission last week.

The win gives President Bassirou Diomaye Faye a clear mandate to implement the ambitious reforms he promised during the election campaign.

Elected in March on an anti-establishment platform, Diomaye dissolved the opposition-led Parliament to allow the early elections.

Rough reform outline

Diomaye, who at 44 is Africa’s youngest elected leader, pledged economic transformation, social justice and anti-corruption reforms under the Senegal 2050 agenda, which sketches out a political agenda over the next 25 years.

“We hope that they will implement the promised reforms,” Pape Ibrahima Kane, a political analyst based in Dakar, told DW, adding that the task would not be an easy one.

Kane described the documents publicizing the plans as provisional, and expects more details next year.

“That means there are unlikely to be major changes,” he told DW, adding that talks are set to start on revitalizing the judiciary, transport and education sectors. But real change is likely only possible with financial support from abroad.

Former President Macky Sall lost popularity due to a repressive style of governance and stagnating economic policies. However, high living costs, energy prices, growing poverty and unemployment — which led to violent popular protests — persist.

A budget without money

The charismatic, youthful duo of Diomaye and Ousmane Sonko, both longtime opposition figures and tax officials, swept to power in March on the back of enthusiastic support from young Senegalese.

A court ruling banned PASTEF party leader Sonko from running for the presidency, so his deputy, Diomaye, ran as the presidential candidate. Sonko became prime minister after Diomaye’s election victory.

Sonko frequently accused the outgoing government of corruption, cronyism and kleptocracy, while the World Bank and International Monetary Fund had also put relations with Senegal on hold. As a result, the new government inherited a Senegalese state in desperately poor financial health.

After taking office, Diomaye dissolved the National Assembly and called new elections. He had previously complained parliamentarians had not been prepared to discuss the budget law.

Ibrahima Aidara, a doctor of mathematics at Gaston Berger University of Saint-Louis, Senegal, said it will be “a marathon” after the official election results to quickly draw up and adopt the budget for 2025.

It would have to align with pragmatic priorities and recognize the promises made to the Senegalese people, especially regarding institutional reform, youth employment, anti-corruption, accountability, education and health.

Creating trust

“The other priorities will revolve around dialogue and political stability. They should initiate constructive dialogue with other political parties, to promote a culture of trust,” Aidara told DW.

Aidara noted that the proposed reforms offer a generational vision and a structure for the next five years of Diomaye’s term in office.

Pape Ibrahima Kane believes there is real political will to reform Senegal and to not disappoint Senegalese voters. But the implementation may take years.

Kane pointed out that Senegal is a democracy which has never experienced a military coup, even if election results have often been contested.

“This is a clear indicator that the political system is well-organized in Senegal,” said Kane.

It has become commonplace for losers to congratulate, and even pave the way, for election winners.

Young Senegalese have clear demands, while the influence of religious leaders and other players has become less important.

For observers this is further proof that it is Senegalese citizens who truly decide the nation’s destiny and that there is acceptance of the democratic system.

However, Kane sees elitism as a weak point. The elite have immense control and are often at odds with the greater population.

“We need more years to end this rift between the elite and the citizens and ensure that our political system is credible,” Kane said.

This article was originally written in German

Robert Ade in Dakar contributed reporting