Something extraordinary happened last Sunday in a small nation on the west coast of Africa, at a time when strongman regimes and outright autocracies are on the rise around the globe. Democracy prevailed. Why We Wrote This A story focused on Hope In Senegal, independent judges and democratically minded citizens have defied a regional trend toward
MILITARY rule. Democracy prevails, but can it meet people’s expectations of more comfortable lives? Two months ago, Senegalese President Macky Sall tried to postpone presidential elections. His leading opponent was in jail. The country’s proud record of an unbroken string of
elections since it won independence from
France in 1960 seemed in danger. But tens of thousands of
protesters came onto the streets to demonstrate against President Sall’s maneuvers. Their pressure, and the Constitutional Council, which ordered the
election to be held as soon as possible, forced his hand. Then Senegal’s voters turned out massively on Sunday to make their voices count. Their votes gave victory to the opposition candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye. His challenge now, like that of
Democrats around the globe, is to improve living standards quickly enough to bolster faith that democracy can get things done and make citizens’ lives better. The stakes are high. Military coups have overthrown governments in several of Senegal’s neighbors recently. But in Senegal, this time, a
Democratic culture and an independent judiciary held the line. Something extraordinary happened last Sunday in a small nation on the west coast of Africa, at a time when strongman regimes and outright autocracies are on the rise around the globe. Democracy held. Democracy prevailed. And while the outcome of the presidential election in Senegal did not draw broad global media attention outside Africa, its implications – and potential lessons – matter more widely. Why We Wrote This A story focused on Hope In Senegal, independent judges and democratically minded citizens have defied a regional trend toward military rule. Democracy prevails, but can it meet people’s expectations of more comfortable lives? So, too, will what comes next, as the new president-elect confronts a daunting challenge: to demonstrate that democracy works , that democracy can deliver. For Senegal is no ordinary African country, and this was no ordinary election. Senegal is one of the minority of African states with an uninterrupted record of voting its leaders in, and out, without men in uniform seizing power. The country has done so since it won its independence from France in 1960. Recommended Trust He skipped a college education and didn’t regret it Over the past five years, Senegalese people have watched as one nearby government after another – in a band of territory stretching right across Africa – has been toppled by soldiers, some of whom then turned to
Russian forces to keep them in power. And Senegal’s own democracy seemed in peril in the months leading up to the election. President Macky Sall, elected in 2012 and serving the second of his permitted terms, had become increasingly authoritarian, cracking down on, and imprisoning, opponents and journalists. He was hinting he might seek a third term. Last June, his main rival, Ousmane Sonko, was arrested, igniting demonstrations in which a number of protesters were killed. Zohra Bensemra//Reuters Supporters of Senegal's outgoing President Macky Sall march in support of him after he postponed the Feb. 25 presidential election, a decision later overturned by the courts. Mr. Sall did then declare that he would step down after the election – originally set for Feb. 25. But in early February, hours before campaigning was due to start, he announced he was delaying the vote. Recommended Trust What my adopted sons from
Russia and
Ukraine taught me about trust All of which made Sunday’s outcome especially remarkable. The delay turned out to last only a month. Though Mr. Sonko was barred from running, he designated a close ally, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to do so in his place. With 19 candidates contesting the election, pundits expected none to secure the 50% needed to win outright and predicted that Mr. Faye would face a runoff against President Sall’s protégé, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba. But on election day, early returns made it clear that Mr. Faye was on track to win comfortably. Recommended Prosperity These migrants bound for the US border found their dream opportunity in
Mexico Within hours, Mr. Ba conceded. So did President Sall. “I congratulate the winner,” he declared. “It is a victory for Senegalese democracy.” So it was, but not just because millions of Senegalese wanted change and – joining the long, orderly lines at polling stations – made their voices count. Equally important were two political bedrocks: a democratic culture built over the years since independence, and the institutional foundation of democracy – an independent judiciary. Senegal’s highest court, the Constitutional Council, stepped in after Mr. Sall postponed the vote. It ruled that he lacked the authority to do so, and ordered the election to be held as soon as possible. Zohra Bensemra/Reuters Victorious opposition presidential candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye flashes a victory sign while casting his vote. Still, if Senegal has provided an example of how democracies can hold firm and survive, the country’s next president now faces a test with yet wider international implications. That’s because even in some well-established democracies, such as the
United States, the culture of democracy, and trust in its institutions, is being eroded by angry, partisan divisions. And while international surveys still find that people overwhelmingly prefer democratic government, this seems to be becoming less true of younger people . Recommended Compassion When children become caregivers, who cares for them? The reason? Waning faith in democracy’s ability to get things done and to make lives better. That’s certainly true in Africa , a challenge made more pressing by the fact that some 40% of the continent’s population is under the age of 15. In Senegal, young voters were key to Mr. Faye’s victory. Now, his task is to meet their expectations. In contrast to Mr. Sall, who presided over a series of giant infrastructure projects, Mr. Faye is likely to focus on the everyday
economy, keeping consumer prices down, providing more and better jobs, and improving health and social provision. A former career civil servant, he would seem well suited to handling that agenda. Recommended Compassion Why
Spain is trusting trans teens on their gender, rather than restricting them He will also start with a major advantage. An offshore natural gas project, due to begin exporting to
Germany this year, should give Senegal’s gross domestic product a major boost, the International Monetary Fund has forecast. Yet he and Mr. Sonko also built their support on a populist political message, suggesting they would renegotiate the terms of the gas agreement, for instance, and move away from the CFA franc, which Senegal uses as its national currency. Such moves could delay the gas export project, or, more generally, dent international business confidence in Senegal’s economy. Whichever policy balance he chooses, Mr. Faye’s main concern will be to restore, and sustain, popular confidence in a democratic government’s ability to deliver results. And the stakes are high, as experiences in Senegal’s military-ruled neighbors have made clear. Many citizens there initially accepted the coups – and even supported them – apparently figuring that the men with guns would at least get things done. Get stories that empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy . Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads . A
United Nations survey last year did find that 11% of citizens under military rule in Africa still preferred “non-democratic” rule. But for the other 89% – unlike for the Senegalese – the choice is no longer theirs. You've read of free articles. Subscribe to continue. Help fund Monitor journalism for $11/ month Already a subscriber? Login Mark Sappenfield Editor Monitor journalism changes lives because we open that too-small box that most people think they live in. We believe news can and should expand a sense of identity and possibility beyond narrow conventional expectations. Our work isn't possible without your support. Subscribe Unlimited digital access $11/month. Already a subscriber? Login Digital subscription includes: Unlimited access to CSMonitor.com. CSMonitor.com archive. The Monitor Daily email. No advertising. Cancel anytime. Subscribe