Senegal: Governing coalition loses legislative majority

The opposition, which saw elections as a chance to check Macky Sall’s third-term aspirations, is without a majority too. Dakar, Senegal – After a tense few days of waiting for a winner in Sunday’s legislative elections, provisional results released showed President Macky Sall’s governing coalition lost its majority in a poll pitched by opposition groups as a referendum on his policies and potential third-term aspirations. “Everything that happens at the National Assembly, it’s Macky Sall who decides … I’m voting in the first place for the people to have representation in the National Assembly,” said Oumar Fall, a Senegalese-American who voted abroad from Detroit, Michigan, where he is a postal worker. “There’s the possibility of a third term, which would plunge the country into chaos.” Senegal’s National Assembly has 97 legislators elected by a majority in their department and 53 elected by proportional representation. While the opposition failed to win a majority, some analysts and observers highlighted the fact Sall’s party lost its majority bodes ill for any third-term presidential attempts.