Campaigns begin in Senegal legislative election amid uncertainty
May 28, 2007
Campaigning began on Sunday for Senegal’s upcoming legislative
election in a vote expected to be anticlimactic because main opposition
groups have pledged to boycott.
Some 15 parties have announced
plans to boycott the election over President Abdoulaye Wade’s refusal
to change the electoral process.
Opposition leaders have called
for the voter list to be revised and the creation of an independent
structure to replace the government-appointed electoral commission.
There
is also a risk that the June 3 election will be postponed since the
Socialist Party, part of the opposition, has filed a complaint with the
State Council that could lead to their delay.
More than 4,000 candidates will vie for 150 seats, said Macoumba Koume, an official with the electoral commission.
On Sunday evening, messages from candidates from 14 parties and coalitions competing in the election were to be broadcast.
Among
those who have said they would take part in the boycott are Idrissa
Seck, Ousmane Tanor Dieng and Moustapha Niasse, who came second, third
and fourth respectively in February’s presidential elections, which
Wade won with 55.9 percent of the vote.
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