Senegal on Sunday voted in parliamentary elections, with the new leaders aiming for a resounding majority to see through the promise of ambitious reform that swept them to power eight months ago.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye secured victory in March pledging economic transformation, social justice and a fight against corruption — raising hopes among a largely youthful population facing high inflation and widespread unemployment.
But an opposition-led parliament hampered the government’s first months in power, leading Faye to dissolve the chamber in September and call snap elections as soon as the constitution allowed him to do so.
“I hope that [the ruling party] Pastef will win the elections to gain a majority so that they can better carry out their mandate,” said 56-year-old Pascal Goudiaby, who was among dozens waiting to cast their ballots at a polling station in the capital Dakar.
“The priority is unemployment, young people are facing so much unemployment,” he added.
Faye appointed his firebrand mentor Ousmane Sonko as prime minister, after Sonko’s own bid to run for president was blocked following a three-year deadly standoff with the former authorities.
The pair promised a leftist pan-African agenda — vowing to diversify political and economic partnerships, review hydrocarbon and fishing contracts and re-establish Senegal’s sovereignty, which they claimed had been sold abroad.
The West African country’s roughly 7.3 million registered voters will elect 165 MPs for five-year terms.
Analysts say Senegalese voters have historically confirmed their presidential choice during parliamentary elections, and the Pastef party is the favorite to win.
“I think that whoever you gave your confidence to in the presidential election, you need to renew your confidence in him so that he can achieve what he started,” said 56-year-old voter Toure Aby.
“We want life to be less expensive for the Senegalese”, she added. “Everything’s expensive: water, electricity, food.”
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