Following weeks of rising tensions between Senegal’s executive and the opposition-controlled Parliament, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has dissolved the National Assembly.
The decision satisfies the president’s loyalists, but it has also provoked a fierce controversy among Senegalese civilians.
But, the opposition views the action as a political manoeuvre.
They’ve raised concerns about how quickly elections are being organised, questioning the legality of bypassing the controversial sponsorship law.
Moussa Diakhaté, an opposition MP, criticised the president’s approach.
Reports say the opposition aims to compel a power-sharing arrangement, but observers believe they will have substantial obstacles.
André Bakhoum, a political specialist, warned that in Senegal’s winner-take-all system, fractured opposition lists may benefit the administration.
With both sides gearing up for what promises to be a fierce electoral contest, uncertainty looms over the political future of Senegal.
