Rédaction Africa Links 24 with pierre Dieme
Published on 2024-03-18 14:12:48
Undoubtedly, the Constitutional Council is always at the center of a debate on respecting the Constitution and the possibility of President Macky Sall’s participation in the electoral campaign for the presidential election on March 24, 2024. Electoral expert Ndiaga Sylla shed light on this issue, noting that the current president, Macky Sall, not being a candidate for re-election, has chosen to support Amadou Ba, the candidate of the ruling party. Recent information indicated a possible appearance of President Sall alongside his candidate at a rally on March 21. However, according to Sylla, such action would violate the Senegalese Constitution, under the principle of equality between parties or coalitions of parties.
The expert refers to a previous decision of the Senegalese Constitutional Council, which ruled on a similar case under the presidency of Abdoulaye Wade. This decision, quoted by Sylla, states: “The principle of equality between parties or coalitions of parties requires that they receive the same treatment; thus, none of them can, during an electoral competition in which the President of the Republic is not a candidate, use his image and constitutional powers.” This directive was issued following the use of President Wade’s image in the electoral material of his coalition, which was prohibited by the Constitutional Council for the legislative elections of April 29, 2001.
Therefore, based on this historical decision – decision on cases No. 2, 3, and 4-E-2001 of March 26, 2001 – it is explicitly forbidden for President Macky Sall to actively participate in the electoral campaign of his chosen candidate, Amadou Ba.
Read the original article(French) on Dakar Matin
