Senegalese citizens head to the polls in peaceful legislative elections

On Sunday, November 17, 2024, over 7 million Senegalese voters participated in a pivotal democratic process to elect 165 deputies to the National Assembly. Using a unique voting system combining first-past-the-post and proportional representation, this election showcased Senegal’s commitment to fair and inclusive governance.

Of the 165 seats in contention, 112 are being decided under the first-past-the-post system, including 15 seats reserved for the diaspora, while 53 are being determined through proportional representation.

In the early hours of Election Day, the Heads of the ECOWAS-African Union (AU) Joint Election Observation Mission (EOM) toured Dakar, Senegal’s capital, to observe the voting process. Ambassador Francis Alex Tsegah, Head of the ECOWAS EOM, visited key polling stations in districts such as Plateau, Médina, Yoff, and Colobane, accompanied by a high-ranking delegation, including Ambassador Calixte Aristide Mbari, Head of the AU EOM.

Polling stations observed included École Berthe Maubert, École Hadja Wrath Diene, École Manguiers II, El Hadji Demba Ndoye School, El Hadj Elimane Thiaw School, and Ecole Elementaire Sacoura Badiane. The delegation also visited the ECOWAS Situation Room and the Electoral Monitoring Unit of the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP Senegal), demonstrating their dedication to ensuring transparency.

At midday, Ambassador Tsegah expressed his satisfaction with the orderly and peaceful voting process. He highlighted the calm atmosphere, which characterized both Election Day and the preceding campaign period. No major incidents were reported, a testament to Senegal’s robust democratic culture.

Ambassador Tsegah called on all political parties and candidates to respect the official results, urging any disputes to be resolved through legal channels to maintain harmony and consensus.

The Joint ECOWAS-AU Electoral Mission will hold a press conference on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, in Dakar to share a preliminary statement on the elections. With this smooth electoral process, Senegal continues to set a positive example for democratic practices in the region.