Politics of Senegal

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Senegal

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Senegal

President Abdoulaye Wade Prime Minister Macky Sall National Assembly Political parties Elections: Pres.: 2007 Parl.: 2007 Regions Departments Arrondissements Casamance Conflict Foreign relations

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Politics of Senegal takes place in a framework of a semi-presidential, liberal democratic republic, whereby the President of Senegal is the head of state and the Prime Minister of Senegal the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Senegal is one of the few African states that has never experienced a coup d'etat. Léopold Senghor, the first president after independence, abdicated in favor of his Prime Minister, Abdou Diouf in 1981. The present president, Abdoulaye Wade, was elected in fully democratic elections in March 2000. Senegal has a reputation for transparency in government operations. The level of economic corruption that has damaged the development of the economies in other parts of the world is very low. Today Senegal has a democratic political culture, being part of one of the most successful democratic transitions in Africa. Senegal recognizes and respects all cultures, religions and traditions.

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Executive branch 3 Legislative branch 4 Political parties and elections 5 Judicial branch: 6 Administrative divisions 7 International relations

[edit] Introduction

The President is elected by universal adult suffrage to a 5-year term. The unicameral National Assembly has 120 members, who are elected separately from the President. The Socialist Party dominated the National Assembly until April 2001, when in free and fair legislative elections, President Wade's coalition won a majority (89 of 120 seats). The Cour de Cassation (Highest Appeals Court, equivalent to the U.S. Supreme Court) and the Constitutional Council, the justices of which are named by the President, are the nation's highest tribunals. Senegal is divided into 10 administrative regions, each headed by a governor appointed by and responsible to the President. The law on decentralization, which came into effect in January 1997, distributed significant central government authority to regional assemblies.

Senegal’s principal political party was for 40 years the Socialist Party (PS). Its domination of political life came to an end in March 2000, when Abdoulaye Wade, the leader of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and leader of the opposition for more than 25 years, won the presidency. Under the terms of the 2001 constitution, future presidents will serve for 5 years and be limited to two terms. Wade was the last President to be elected to a 7-year term.

President Wade has advanced a liberal agenda for Senegal, including privatizations and other market-opening measures. He has a strong interest in raising Senegal’s regional and international profile. The country, nevertheless, has limited means with which to implement ambitious ideas. The liberalization of the economy is proceeding, but at a slow pace. Senegal continues to play a significant role in regional and international organizations. President Wade has made excellent relations with the United States a high priority.

There are presently some 65 political parties, most of which are marginal and little more than platforms for their leaders. The principal political parties, however, constitute a true multiparty, democratic political culture, and they have contributed to one of the most successful democratic transitions in Africa, even among all developing countries. A flourishing independent media, largely free from official or informal control, also contributes to the democratic politics of Senegal.

The image of Wade as a constitutional democrat has however been tarnished by events at the end of his mandate. When faced with internal dissent within his own party his main opponent Idrissa Seck was arrested, accused of treason. Wade currently refuses to go along with holding presidential elections in 2006, arguing that there are economic reasons for wanting to hold the presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously in 2007. Initially Wade's government had the support of a broad section of groups opposed to the socialist government, but gradually individual parties have disassociated themselves from the government and joined the opposition efforts led by PS.

[edit] Executive branch

Main office holders

Office	Name	Party	Since
President	Abdoulaye Wade	PDS	1 April 2000
Prime Minister	Macky Sall	PDS	1 April 2000

The president is elected by popular vote for a seven-year term. The prime minister is appointed by the president. The Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president

[edit] Legislative branch

The National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) has 120 members, elected for a five year term, by parallel voting, with multi-seat rather than single-seat constituencies for the plurality part of the system.[1]

[edit] Political parties and elections

For other political parties see List of political parties in Senegal. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Senegal.

[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the February 27 and March 19, 2000 Senegalese presidential election results

Candidates - Parties	Votes 1st round	%	Votes 2nd round	%
Abdou Diouf - Socialist Party of Senegal (Parti socialiste du Sénégal)		41.3		41.5
Abdoulaye Wade - Senegalese Democratic Party		30.1		58.5
Moustapha Niasse - Alliance of Progress Forces		16.8
Djibo Leyti Kâ - Union for Democratic Renewal		7.1
Iba Der Thiam - Convention of Democrats and Patriots		1.2
Serigne Ousseynou Fall		1.1
Cheikh Abdoulaye Dieye		1.0
Mademba Sock		0.6
Total (turnout 62 %)		100.0		100.0
Source: Le Soleil and AFP.

[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 29 April 2001 National Assembly of Senegal election results

Parties		Votes	%	Seats
Coalition Sopi	Senegalese Democratic Party (Parti Démocratique Sénégalais)	931,617	49.6	89
	Democratic League - Movement for the Labour Party (Ligue Démocratique-Mouvement pour le Parti du Travial)
	Others
Alliance of Progress Forces (Alliance des Forces du Progrès)		303,150	16.1	11
Socialist Party of Senegal (Parti socialiste du Sénégal)		326,126	17.4	10
Union for Democratic Renewal (Union pour le renouveau démocratique)		69,109	3.7	3
And-Jëf/African Party for Democracy and Socialism (And-Jëf/Parti Africain pour la démocratie et le socialisme)		76,102	4.1	2
Senegalese Liberal Party (Parti libéral sénégalais)		17,240	0.9	1
Party for Progress and Citizenship (Parti pour le progrès et la citoyenneté)		17,122	0.9	1
Alliance for Progress and Justice Jëf-Jël (Alliance pour le Progrès et la Justice/Jëf-Jël)		15,048	0.8	1
National Democratic Rally (Rassemblement National Démocratique)		13,286	0.7	1
Party of Independence and Labour (Parti de l'Indépendance et le Travail)		10,854	0.6	1
Others		99,192	5.3	0
Total (turnout 67.4 %)				120'
Source: Le Soleil

[edit] Judicial branch:

The nation's highest courts that deal with business issues are the constitutional council, and the court of justice, members of which are named by the president.

[edit] Administrative divisions

Senegal is subdivided into 11 regions (régions, singular - région):

Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thiès, Ziguinchor. Local administrators are all appointed by and responsible to the President.

[edit] International relations

Senegal joined with The Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982. However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a separatist group in the southern Casamance region has sporadically clashed with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international peacekeeping. Senegal is member of ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, MIPONUH, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO