Senegal ruling party claims victory in legislative elections

Senegal's ruling party has claimed a comfortable victory in Sunday's legislative elections with nearly all ballots counted.

The win comes just a few months after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye secured the presidential election, and now clears his way to carry out an ambitious reform agenda. 

Local media reported that Diomaye Faye's PASTEF party had emerged as the winner in most of the first polling stations giving their provisional results. 

"I pay homage to the Senegalese people for the large victory that it has given to PASTEF," government spokesman Amadou Moustapha Ndieck Sarre told TFM television.

Even as vote counting was still going on, Senegal’s two main opposition parties conceded.

"I would like to congratulate PASTEF, the winner of the election," said Barthelemy Dias, who is head of one of the opposition coalitions, SAMM Sa Kaddu.

Former President Macky Sall, who leads an opposition grouping from abroad called Takku Wallu Senegal, claimed the vote was marred by "massive fraud organized by PASTEF." Sall did not provide further details on the alleged fraud.

New president's path to reform

The 44-year-old Faye pledged change at his inauguration in April, but had found it difficult to deliver while his PASTEF party did not hold a majority in the country's parliament, with less than a third of the seats. 

He says that the opposition-led parliament blocked him from delivering on pledges such as fighting corruption, reviewing fishing permits for foreign companies and securing a bigger share from the country's natural resources for the population. 

Given Faye's runaway win in late March, winning 54% of the first-round vote and claiming the presidency without the need for a runoff vote, PASTEF had a strong chance of making gains in the parliamentary election under Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. 

Both Faye and his firebrand mentor Sonko had faced prison time and various criminal charges, which they say were politically motivated, under Senegal's previous leadership. 

What about the opposition?

Former President Sall led an opposition grouping from abroad, though it was typically common for former Senegalese heads of state to refrain from further political roles.

Already under pressure for the legal actions against Sonko and Faye, Sall triggered major protests and violence in the run-up to the presidential elections by seeking a last-minute delay, which the election commission later overturned.

Former prime minister and presidential runner-up Amadou Ba also headed his own coalition. 

Dakar's Mayor Barthelemy Dias has also stood out in the campaign amid some heated exchanges with rivals.

Despite sporadic incidents of violence between supporters — and some incendiary comments from both sides — the campaign was comparatively peaceful.

Unemployment high, government says debt was larger than previously announced

The opposition has accused the new government of inaction, amateurism and of being preoccupied with settling old scores with the previous administration since coming to power. 

More than 20% of people in the West African nation are unemployed and many continue to risk their lives trying to reach Europe by boat. 

The government meanwhile said an audit of public finances showed the budget deficit was wider than previously announced under Sall. 

The IMF suspended an aid program pending a review of that audit, and debt ratings agency Moody's also cut Senegal's credit rating in response.

Since taking office, authorities have lowered the price of household goods such as rice, oil and sugar, trying to deliver on election promises but also risking further strain on the budget.

mm, msh/lo, jsi (AFP, Reuters)