Politics of Senegal

The Socialist Party dominated the National Assembly until April 2001, when in free and fair legislative elections, President Wade's coalition won a majority (90 of 150 seats).

The law on decentralization, which came into effect in January 1998, distributed significant central government authority to regional assemblies.

President Wade advanced a liberal agenda for Senegal, including privatizations and other market-opening measures.

A flourishing independent media, largely free from official or informal control, also contributes to the democratic politics of Senegal.

When faced with internal dissent within his own party his main opponent Idrissa Seck was arrested, accused of treason.

[5] After Senegal's Constitutional Court approved Wade's bid to run for a third presidential term, street protests broke out.

The top court's decision was controversial as the Senegalese constitutional amendment, which places a two-term limit on the presidential office, was established about a year after Wade came into power in 2000.

[9] According to provisional results, PASTEF won in a large majority of polling stations,[11] and were the most-voted for party in 40 of the 46 departments and seven of the eight diaspora constituencies.

[12] Following the announcement of the results, Amadou Ba and Barthélémy Dias [fr], who led separate opposition coalitions, conceded defeat.

[13] Takku Wallu Sénégal leader and former president Macky Sall accused PASTEF of organising "massive fraud",[14] but later conceded defeat.