Senegal’s National Assembly on Monday faced turmoil as riot police deployed tear gas to disperse protesters angered by the postponement of the Feb. 25 presidential election.
The unprecedented move to reschedule the election to Aug. 25 and extend President Macky Sall’s mandate prompted unrest and criticism as lawmakers are set to debate the bill proposing the election delay, marking a departure from Senegal’s history of election stability.
Riot police outside the parliament used tear gas and made arrests to quell around a hundred protesters.
President Sall said he delayed the election due to a dispute over the candidate list and alleged corruption within the constitutional body that handled the list while the African Union, along with regional bodies and Western governments, have called for a swift announcement of a new election date.
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