Some opposition parties have started to unite ahead of the November 17 legislative elections in Senegal.
The development comes as the Ministry of the Interior announced that parties have four days left to submit their candidate lists for validation.
One of the most notable developments in the political landscape ahead of the poll is the formation of a new coalition called the “Bloc of Liberals and Democrats” (BLD) – Takku (“unite” in Wolof).
The alliance includes 40 political parties, notably the Alliance for the Republic (APR) of former President Macky Sall and Rewmi, led by former Prime Minister Idrissa Seck.
This coalition comes as rumors intensify about a possible dissolution of the National Assembly and early legislative elections.
While the APR and Rewmi are key players in the BLD-Takku, the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), led by Karim Wade, has chosen not to join the alliance.
Modou Diagne Fada, a former minister and one of the architects of the coalition, explained that the goal is to unite opposition forces against the government.
Initially focused on ideological collaboration, the coalition aims to evolve into a formal electoral bloc as the country prepares for potential legislative elections in the near future.
Recall that on September 12, 2024, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal dissolved the opposition-dominated parliament, paving the way for a snap legislative election six months after he was voted in on an anti-establishment platform.
The Benno Bokk Yaakar opposition platform led by former President Macky Sall condemned the move. They said Faye had convened a legislative session under false pretenses in order to announce the dissolution and accused him of “perjury.”
Faye, 44, won the vote in April to become Africa’s youngest elected leader, less than two weeks after he was released from prison.
His rise has reflected widespread frustration among Senegal’s youth with the country’s direction — a common sentiment across Africa, which has the world’s youngest population and a number of leaders accused of clinging to power for decades.
During the presidential campaign, he promised widespread reforms to improve the living standards of ordinary Senegalese, including fighting corruption, reviewing fishing permits for foreign companies, and securing a bigger share from the country’s natural resources for the population. He was elected with 54% of the votes.
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