Voters waiting to cast their ballots in Senegal’s 2019 presidential election. Photo credit: VOA/Seydina Aba Gueye (public domain)

Senegal was supposed to have local elections in June 2019. However, the country’s election commission first postponed to late 2020, and then postponed them yet again, to March 28, 2021 (a tentative date).

Political Context

Senegal is lauded as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies. However, the political playing field is becoming less even under President Macky Sall, who won re-election in February 2019 amid accusations that he had improperly used state resources to suppress opponents and bolster his campaign.

In that vein, Freedom House downgraded Senegal’s rating from Free to Partly Free in its 2020 Freedom in the World report. 

Curated News and Analysis

Manon Laplace, Jeune Afrique (December 3, 2019): Senegal: local elections to be held in March 2021 “at the latest”

21votes does not necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed in the linked articles; rather, our goal is to curate a wide range of voices. Furthermore, none of the individuals or organizations referenced have reviewed 21votes’ content, and their inclusion should not be taken to imply that they endorse us in any way. More on our approach here. 

Updated June 25, 2020