Senegalese Opposition Candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye Leads Early Election Results
Democracy NowMar 25
Senegal: Top Court Confirms Diomaye Faye as President-Elect
The Facts
Senegal's Constitutional Council has confirmed opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye's presidential election victory. The 44-year-old is due to be sworn in on Tuesday.
The country's top court on Friday validated provisional results released earlier in the week based on vote tallies from polling stations.
The Spin
Narrative A
That the Senegalese people were able to elect an opposition leader imprisoned just days before the election is an impressive surprise, especially after all the attempts from the outgoing Pres. Macky Sall to cling to power beyond his constitutional term — including postponing the vote. His victory is a triumph for the country and its democratic system.
Narrative B
Senegal has again demonstrated its democratic stability, despite the scaremongering that preceded the vote. However, the nation has chosen a new president that, similar to new coup leaders in neighboring countries, represents a populist reaction to regional problems. It's unclear whether this vote for rupture will be the right choice for the country's future.
Nerd narrative
There's a 15% chance that Senegal will experience a successful coup d'etat before 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.