Editing Senegal (section)

=== Political culture ===
Currently, Senegal has a quasi-democratic political culture, one of the more successful post-colonial democratic transitions in Africa. Local administrators are appointed and held accountable by the president. [[Marabout]]s, religious leaders of the various [[Muslim brotherhoods of Senegal]], have also exercised a strong political influence in the country especially during Wade's presidency. In 2009, [[Freedom House]] downgraded Senegal's status from "Free" to "Partially Free", based on increased centralisation of power in the executive. By 2014, it had recovered its Free status.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2014/senegal-0#.VEWVY_nF-So|title=Senegal&nbsp;– Country report&nbsp;– Freedom in the World&nbsp;– 2014|website=Freedomhouse.org|access-date=23 August 2017|archive-date=10 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010204829/http://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2014/senegal-0#.VEWVY_nF-So|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2008, Senegal finished in 12th position on the [[Ibrahim Index of African Governance]].<ref name="ibrahim_index">{{cite web|url=http://www.moibrahimfoundation.org/en/section/the-ibrahim-index |title=The Ibrahim Index » Mo Ibrahim Foundation |publisher=Moibrahimfoundation.org |access-date=3 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111229141051/http://www.moibrahimfoundation.org/en/section/the-ibrahim-index |archive-date=29 December 2011 }}</ref> The Ibrahim Index is a comprehensive measure of African governance (limited to [[sub-Saharan Africa]] until 2008), based on a number of different variables which reflect the success with which governments deliver essential political goods to their citizens. When the Northern African countries were added to the index in 2009, Senegal's 2008 position was retroactively downgraded to 15th place (with Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco placing ahead of Senegal). {{As of|2012}}, Senegal's Ibrahim Index rank has declined another point to 16th of 52 African countries.

On 22 February 2011, Senegal severed diplomatic ties with [[Iran]], saying it supplied rebels with weapons which killed Senegalese troops in the [[Casamance conflict]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/02/201122392022223897.html|title=Senegal severs ties with Iran: Senegal's foreign ministry accuses Tehran of supplying weapons to separatist rebels in its southern Casamance region|date=23 February 2011|publisher=Al Jazeera|access-date=30 November 2016|archive-date=30 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130191331/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2011/02/201122392022223897.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[Senegalese presidential election, 2012|2012 presidential election]] was controversial due to President Wade's candidacy, as the opposition argued he should not be considered eligible to run again. Several youth opposition movements, including M23 and [[Y'en a Marre]], emerged in June 2011. In the end, Macky Sall of the [[Alliance for the Republic (Senegal)|Alliance for the Republic]] won, and Wade conceded the election to Sall. This peaceful and democratic transition was hailed by many foreign observers, such as the EU<ref>{{cite web |url=http://world.myjoyonline.com/pages/africa/201203/83756.php |title=Macky Sall Senegal election win 'example for Africa' &#124; Africa |publisher=World.myjoyonline.com |date=26 August 2012 |access-date=25 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509000049/http://world.myjoyonline.com/pages/africa/201203/83756.php |archive-date=9 May 2013}}</ref> as a show of "maturity".

On 19 September 2012, lawmakers voted to do away with the Senate to save an estimated $15&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|title=Senegal Votes to do Away With Senate to Save Money|url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/senegal-votes-do-away-senate-save-money|agency=Associated Press|access-date=20 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402140257/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/senegal-votes-do-away-senate-save-money |archive-date=2 April 2015}}</ref>

In August 2017, the ruling party won a landslide victory in the [[2017 Senegalese parliamentary election|parliamentary election]]. President Macky Sall's ruling coalition took 125 seats in the 165-seat National Assembly.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-senegal-election-idUSKBN1AL09O |title=Senegal ruling party wins large parliamentary majority |work=Reuters |date=5 August 2017 |access-date=27 June 2021 }}</ref> In 2019 president Macky Sall easily won [[2019 Senegalese presidential election|re-election]] in the first round.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20190228-senegal-president-macky-sall-wins-election-preliminary-results |title=Senegal's President Macky Sall easily wins re-election, opposition will not contest vote |work=France24 |date=28 February 2019 |access-date=27 June 2021 |archive-date=7 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707001522/https://www.france24.com/en/20190228-senegal-president-macky-sall-wins-election-preliminary-results |url-status=live }}</ref> On 2 April 2024, his successor Bassirou Diomaye Faye was sworn in.<ref>{{cite news |agency=Agence France-Presse |title=Bassirou Diomaye Faye sworn in as Senegal's youngest president |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/02/bassirou-diomaye-faye-to-be-sworn-in-as-senegal-youngest-president |work=The Guardian |date=2 April 2024}}</ref>