Editing Politics of Senegal

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{{About|recent and past political developments in Senegal|the Senegal government|Government of Senegal}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Politics of Senegal}}
'''Politics in [[Senegal]]''' takes place within the framework of a [[Presidential system|presidential]] democratic republic. The [[President of Senegal]] is the [[head of state]] and [[head of government|government.]] [[Executive power]] in Senegal is concentrated in the president's hands.<ref name="Freedom House">{{cite web|last=Freedom House|title=Freedom in the World – Senegal|url=http://freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=363&year=2010&country=7912|access-date=12 November 2011}}</ref>

While [[legislative power]] is technically vested in both the government and the parliament, the parliament rarely introduces legislation or votes down legislation proposed by the government.<ref>Thomas and Sissokho (2005.) "Liaison legislature: the role of the National Assembly in Senegal" ''Journal of Modern African Studies'' 43 (1). p. 106</ref> Similarly, although the [[Judiciary]] is theoretically independent of the executive and the legislature, the executive branch seems to exert undue control over the judiciary.<ref name="Freedom House" />

[[Senegal]] is one of the few African states that has never experienced a coup d'état or exceptionally harsh [[authoritarianism]]. [[Léopold Senghor]], the first president after independence, resigned in 1981, handing over the office of president to his Prime Minister, [[Abdou Diouf]]. The present president, [[Bassirou Diomaye Faye]], was elected in democratic elections in March 2024.<ref>{{cite news |title=Senegal's top court confirms Bassirou Diomaye Faye's election victory |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/29/senegals-top-court-confirms-bassirou-diomaye-fayes-election-victory |work=Al Jazeera |language=en |access-date=29 April 2024 |archive-date=27 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240427192653/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/29/senegals-top-court-confirms-bassirou-diomaye-fayes-election-victory |url-status=live }}</ref> 

Senegal has a reputation for transparency in government operations. The level of economic corruption that has damaged the development of the economies in other parts of the world is low. Today Senegal has a democratic political culture, being part of one of the most successful democratic transitions in Africa.

{{Democracy Index rating|Senegal|hybrid regime|2022}}

==Introduction==

=== Political system ===
The President is elected by universal adult suffrage to a 5-year term (before: to a 7-year term). The unicameral National Assembly has 150 members, who are elected separately from the President. The [[Socialist Party (Senegal)|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 Cour Suprême (Highest Appeals Court, equivalent to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]) and the Constitutional Council, the justices of which are named by the President, are the nation's highest tribunals. Senegal is divided into 11 administrative regions, each headed by a governor appointed by and responsible to the President. The law on [[decentralization]], which came into effect in January 1998, distributed significant central government authority to regional assemblies.

=== Political culture ===
Senegal's principal political party was for 40 years the [[Socialist Party (Senegal)|Socialist Party]] (PS). Its domination of political life came to an end in March 2000, when Abdoulaye Wade, the leader of the [[Senegalese Democratic Party]] (PDS) and leader of the opposition for more than 25 years, won the presidency. Under the terms of a 2016 amendment to the 2001 constitution, future presidents will serve for 5 years and be limited to two terms. Sall was the last President to be elected to a 7-year term.

President Wade advanced a liberal agenda for Senegal, including privatizations and other market-opening measures. He had a strong interest in raising Senegal's regional and international profile. The country, nevertheless, has limited means with which to implement ambitious ideas. The liberalization of the economy is proceeding, but at a slow pace. Senegal continues to play a significant role in regional and international organizations. President Wade has made excellent relations with the United States a high priority.

There are presently some 72 political parties, most of which are marginal and little more than platforms for their leaders. The principal political parties, however, constitute a true multiparty, democratic political culture, and they have contributed to one of the most successful democratic transitions in Africa, even among all developing countries. A flourishing independent media, largely free from official or informal control, also contributes to the democratic politics of Senegal.

However, the image of Wade as a constitutional democrat has been tarnished by events at the end of his mandate.{{According to whom|date=September 2010}} When faced with internal dissent within his own party his main opponent [[Idrissa Seck]] was arrested, accused of treason. Wade refused to go along with holding presidential elections in 2006, arguing that there were economic reasons for wanting to hold the presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously in 2007.<ref name="Institute for Security Studies">{{cite web|title=Succession debate threatens security in Senegal|url=http://www.issafrica.org/iss_today.php?ID=1318|publisher=Institute for Security Studies|access-date=18 August 2011}}</ref>

Initially Wade's government had the support of a broad section of groups opposed to the socialist government, but gradually individual parties have disassociated themselves from the government and joined the opposition efforts led by PS. In 2011, Wade attempted to amend the Constitution to allow him to run for another term in office.  Large protests by opponents erupted, throughout the Summer of 2011, as well as large counter-protests by government supporters. The crisis has deepened political rifts within the country, which has long been a rare example of stability in the region.<ref name="Institute for Security Studies"/>

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.<ref>{{cite news| newspaper = The Guardian| date = 28 January 2012| author = Reuters in Dakar| url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jan/28/senegal-protests-president-wade-dakar| location=London| title=Senegal (News),Africa (News),World news}}</ref>

In March 2012, the incumbent president Abdoulaye Wade lost the [[2012 Senegalese presidential election|presidential election]] and Macky Sall was elected as the new President of Senegal. 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. 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|date=28 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-senegal-election-idUSKBN1AL09O|title = Senegal ruling party wins large parliamentary majority|newspaper = Reuters|date = 5 August 2017}}</ref>

In March 2024, Opposition candidate [[Bassirou Diomaye Faye]] won the Senegal’s presidential [[2024 Senegalese presidential election|election]] over the candidate of the ruling coalition, becoming the youngest president in Senegal’s history.<ref>{{cite news |title=Senegal opposition candidate Faye won 54 percent in presidential vote |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/27/senegal-oppositions-faye-won-over-54-of-vote-full-provisional-results |work=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>

== Executive ==
{{Main|Cabinet of Senegal}}

==Political parties and elections==
{{main|List of political parties in Senegal|Elections in Senegal}}

===Presidential elections===
{{main|2024 Senegalese presidential election}}
{{#section-h:2024 Senegalese presidential election|Results}}

===Parliamentary elections===
{{main|2024 Senegalese parliamentary election}}
{{#section-h:2024 Senegalese parliamentary election|Results}}

==Judicial branch==
The nation's highest courts that deal with business issues are the constitutional council, and the [[Court of Cassation (Senegal)|Court of Cassation]], members of which are named by the president.

==Administrative divisions==
{{Further|Administrative divisions of Senegal}}

Senegal is subdivided into 13 regions (''régions'', singular – ''région''):

[[Dakar Region|Dakar]], [[Diourbel Region|Diourbel]], [[Fatick Region|Fatick]], [[Kaolack Region|Kaolack]], [[Kédougou Region|Kédougou]], [[Kolda Region|Kolda]], [[Louga Region|Louga]], [[Matam Region|Matam]], [[Saint-Louis Region|Saint-Louis]], [[Sédhiou Region|Sédhiou]], [[Tambacounda Region|Tambacounda]], [[Thiès Region|Thiès]], [[Ziguinchor Region|Ziguinchor]].
Local administrators are all appointed by and responsible to the President.

==See also==
{{Portal|Africa|Politics}}
* [[Government of Senegal]]
* [[Roger Roche]], founder of a cell of the French Communist Party in [[Rufisque]] in 1925.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Senegal topics}}
{{Africa in topic|Politics of}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Politics of Senegal}}
[[Category:Politics of Senegal| ]]