Senegal President to step down in April as crisis lingers

• Senegal's President Macky Sall on Thursday reiterated he would stand down as planned on 2 April.
• The president, who has been in power since 2012 but is not seeking a third term, said on Wednesday that he would seek the opinion of Senegal's Constitutional Council on the conclusions.
• Sall has said several times in recent days that he would step down at the beginning of April.

Traditionally stable Senegal plunged into its worst turmoil in decades after Sall's last-minute deferral of the presidential election, that was due to take place last Sunday.

The president launched a two-day "national dialogue" on Monday to find a new election date.

The conclusions recommended that the election be held on 2 June, two months after Sall's mandate expires, and that he remains in office until his successor is installed.

The president, who has been in power since 2012 but is not seeking a third term, said on Wednesday that he would seek the opinion of Senegal's Constitutional Council on the conclusions.

READ | Senegal President pursues talks for new election date

But on Thursday, he reiterated that his departure date remained "absolutely firm".

"The national dialogue has proposed 2 June 2024 as the new date for Senegal's presidential elections," Sall posted on X, formerly Twitter.

"However, I would like to make it clear that I will be leaving office at the end of my term on 2 April, as I have already indicated," he added.

Sall has said several times in recent days that he would step down at the beginning of April.

But on Monday, he left open the possibility of an extension.

"If there's a consensus, I'm prepared, in the best interests of the nation, to take it upon myself to stay on even if it's not my choice," he said.

Senegal's constitution makes no provision for a possible scenario in which Sall leaves office on 2 April, with an election only taking place two months later.