Latest leader to redefine term limits: Senegal's President Wade
Senegal will hold presidential elections on February 26, pitting incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade against an emboldened but divided opposition. The elections could be quite bitterly contested. On Friday,聽, but both inside and outside the country, his candidacy is provoking condemnation. Critics argue that the president, who is nearing the end of his second term, should not run again; Wade argues that because two-term limits for the presidency were introduced only after his first term began, he is eligible for one more term. I do not anticipate that any legal obstacle 鈥� including a ruling by the country鈥檚 courts 鈥� will prevent Wade from running, but the level of domestic and international outcry is significant. Senegal is not headed for chaos, in my view, but the country鈥檚 stability could be shaken in the months to come.
AFP (see link above) gives us a glimpse of how the domestic opposition to Wade is unfolding. Protests against his rule have been going on since last winter, feeding into broader discontent concerning economic stagnation in the country.
Thousands of opponents headed to a square in Dakar on Friday after Wade鈥檚 candidacy was announced. Demonstrators held signs bearing slogans such as: 鈥淎gainst Violation of the Constitution,鈥� 鈥淲ade Go Away鈥� and 鈥淩ise Up Against the High Cost of Living!鈥�
The rally was organised by the June 23 Movement (M23), a coalition of activists and political groups named after summer riots protesting proposed election law changes.聽
AFP also reports clashes between Wade鈥檚 supporters and opponents in Dakar last week. Violence has not been a major part of the political landscape in Senegal in 2011, so it is concerning to hear this.
Turning to international criticism of Wade,聽聽reports that four members of the US Congress have sent Wade a letter urging him not to run.
In a letter obtained by VOA鈥檚 French to Africa Service, the two senators and two representatives take note of street clashes in Senegal鈥檚 capital earlier this year, and tell Wade that the country could experience more unrest if he runs for re-election.
They warn a constitutional crisis could undo advances for democracy in Senegal, and strain the country鈥檚 ties with the US.
The authors of the letter include Christopher Coons, chairman of the US Senate Subcommittee on Africa.
It has been hard for me to gauge the level of 鈥淲ade fatigue鈥� among Western powers like France and the US, but this letter is another hint that Paris and Washington are concerned about the protests and may prefer Wade鈥檚 departure over whatever stability his continued rule might offer. Rumors were already circulating several months ago that the French have opened discussions with Idrissa Seck, a former protege of Wade鈥檚 who is now one of the president鈥檚 main rivals.
The next two months and beyond could be fairly tense in Senegal, especially if more violence occurs. As聽聽writes, 鈥減residential politics in Senegal is in full swing now.鈥�
鈥� Alex Thurston is a PhD student studying Islam in Africa at Northwestern University and blogs at .
