Senegal facing the challenge of political restructuring (By Professor Moussa Diaw)

In the aftermath of March 24, 2024, Senegalese citizens had hoped for political change, a symbol of a break with past practices and power structures. But politics prevailed over the commitments and agendas that citizens had so eagerly embraced in order to translate their choices into votes, with the prospect of genuine systemic transformation. However, after two years of a duo forming the winning ticket, the duality at the top has revealed the limitations of such an option, despite being imposed by the political context.

Realpolitik presents two different conceptions of political action. Some analysts contrast two sovereignist visions, although these terms must be used with great caution given their ideological weight and the difficulty of translating them into reality. The first is considered a balanced or moderate sovereignism, represented by the President of the Republic, and the second, described as radical, led by the President of the National Assembly. We will not engage with this subjective classification because the arguments put forward do not seem relevant or convincing to me. However, it is important to consider the effects of such a break between the two men and the risks of confrontations that could plunge the country into uncertainty.

The return of partisan politics

Since the separation was formalized and a political party was created to unite "republican patriots," the signal has been given favoring the return of patronage, political opportunists, and a few newly engaged opportunists involved in the country's development. Paradoxically, most of them had been held accountable for their responsibility in the country's poor governance and abysmal debt. Their rhetoric has not changed and revolves around baseless accusations and unfounded criticism of their political opponents. At the same time, lacking political arguments, they muddy the waters through a constellation of titles aligned with their cause. But they forget that Senegalese public opinion often has a much higher level of political awareness than those who choose to make politics their profession.

Another telling sign of this regression in political life is the manipulation through the use of non-political means to combat or disqualify an opponent. While this strategy may have worked at one time, it is now obsolete because democracy demands methods grounded in shared principles and values, respecting the laws of the Republic. Senegal has always distinguished itself by its resilience; it needs leaders capable of meeting the numerous challenges rather than engaging in petty political squabbles or partisan politics.

Moussa DIAW,

political scientist, Saint-Louis