Politics of Senegal
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Template:Politics of Senegal Senegal is a secular republic with a strong presidency, weak legislature, reasonably independent judiciary, and multiple political parties. Senegal is one of the few African states that has never experienced a coup d'etat. As noted above, power was transferred peacefully, if not altogether democratically, from Léopold Senghor to Diouf in 1981, and once again, this time in fully democratic elections, from Abdou Diouf to Abdoulaye Wade in March 2000.
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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 country’s generally tolerant culture, largely free from ethnic or religious tensions, has provided a resilient base for democratic politics.
General information
Country name:
Conventional long form: Republic of Senegal
Conventional short form: Senegal
Local long form: République du Senegal
Local short form: Senegal
Data code: SG
Government type: Republic under multiparty democratic rule
Capital: Dakar
Administrative divisions:
Senegal is subdivided into 11 regions (régions, singular - région):
Dakar, Diourbel, Fatick, Kaolack, Kolda, Louga, Matam, Saint-Louis, Tambacounda, Thiès, Ziguinchor
Independence: 4 April 1960 from France; complete independence was achieved upon dissolution of federation with Mali on 20 August 1960 (The Gambia and Senegal signed an agreement on 12 December 1981 (constituted February 1982) that called for the creation of a loose confederation to be known as Senegambia, but the agreement was dissolved on 30 September 1989)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 April (1960)
Constitution: 3 March 1963, revised 1991
Legal system: Based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; Senegal has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state: President Abdoulaye Wade (since 1 April 2000)
Head of government: Prime Minister Macky Sall (since 21 April 2004)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held 27 February 2000 (next to be held 27 February 2007); prime minister appointed by the president
- See for more informations: Elections in Senegal
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (140 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections:
- See for more information: Elections in Senegal
Judicial branch:
under the terms of a reform of the judicial system implemented in 1992, the principal organs of the judiciary are as follows: Constitutional Court; Council of State; Court of Final Appeals or Cour de Cassation; Court of Appeals
Political organizations
Parties
- See for more information: List of political parties of Senegal
- African Party for Democracy and Socialism or And Jef (also known as PADS/AJ) [Landing SAVANE, secretary general];
- African Party of Independence [Majhemout DIOP];
- Democratic and Patriotic Convention or CDP (also known as Garab-Gi) [Dr. Iba Der THIAM];
- Democratic League-Labor Party Movement or LD-MPT [Dr. Abdoulaye BATHILY];
- Front for Socialism and Democracy or FSD [Cheikh Abdoulaye DIEYE];
- Gainde Centrist Bloc or BGC [Jean-Paul DIAS];
- Independence and Labor Party or PIT [Amath DANSOKHO];
- National Democratic Rally or RND [Madier DIOUF];
- Senegalese Democratic Party or PDS [Abdoulaye WADE];
- Senegalese Democratic Party-Renewal or PDS-R [Serigne Lamine DIOP, secretary general];
- Senegalese Democratic Union-Renewal or UDS-R [Mamadou Puritain FALL];
- Socialist Party or PS [President Abdou DIOUF];
- Union for Democratic Renewal or URD [Djibo Leyti KA];
- other small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: labor; Muslim brotherhoods; students; teachers
International relations
International organization participation: ACCT, ACP, AfDB, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, FZ, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, 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
Flag description
three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), yellow, and red with a small green five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia.