Senegal's 2024 Presidential Race: A Guide to the Main Candidates
17:46 02.02.2024 (Updated: 09:56 03.02.2024)
© AP Photo / Leo Correa
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The Senegalese people are gearing up for a historic presidential election on February 25. For the first time since Senegal's independence in 1960, the incumbent president, Macky Sall, is not seeking re-election and has endorsed his prime minister, Amadou Ba, as his successor.
Prime Minister Amadou Ba is among 20 candidates who have been cleared by the constitutional council to run for the top office. He faces a tough challenge from a diverse field of contenders, including former prime ministers, mayors, ministers, and a businesswoman.
To win the election, a candidate must secure more than 50% of the vote. If no one achieves this in the first round, the top two candidates will face off in a runoff.
Campaigning officially starts on February 4 and will last until February 23.
Here are the profiles of the main candidates vying for the presidency:
Amadou Ba
Senegal's Foreign Affairs minister Amadou Ba - now prime minister and presidential candidate for the 2024 elections - attends a press conference at the Presidential Palace, in Dakar, Senegal, Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020.
© AP Photo / Andrew Caballero-Reynolds
The 62-year-old is the ruling coalition’s candidate and the current prime minister. He has held several key positions in the government, including economy and foreign minister, and taxation director.
Ba is seen as a close ally of President Sall and has pledged to continue his policies of economic growth, social development, and regional stability. He has also promised to create more jobs, improve access to health care and education, and fight corruption.
Khalifa Ababacar Sall
Senegalese Politician Khalifa Ababacar Sall delivers a speech during a rally of the Senegalese opposition at the Place de l'Obelisque in Dakar, on June 8, 2022.
© AFP 2023 SEYLLOU
The former mayor of Dakar, the capital city, is one of the most popular opposition figures in the country. He served as mayor from 2009 to 2018, when he was removed from office and jailed for embezzling public funds.
Sall was sentenced to five years in prison, but was pardoned by President Sall in September 2019. He denies any wrongdoing and claims to be a victim of political persecution. He has a strong base of support in urban areas, particularly among the youth and the poor. He advocates for more social justice, decentralization, and democratic reforms.
Idrissa Seck
The opposition candidate Idrissa Seck (C) gives a speech in the Idy 2019 coalition headquarters in Dakar on February 28, 2019, as he claims to firmly reject the presidential election results but will not appeal.
© CARMEN ABD ALI
The veteran politician is the leader of the Rewmi party and a former prime minister under ex-President Abdoulaye Wade. He was sacked in 2004 over corruption allegations and spent some months in jail before his case was dismissed. He then formed his own party and ran for president in 2007 and 2012, but failed to make it to the second round.
Seck came second in the 2019 election with 21% of the vote, after which he joined the ruling coalition with President Sall. He resigned from his post as the head of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council in April 2023, to prepare for his third presidential bid. He is known for his charisma and eloquence, and has a loyal following among the PDS supporters. He campaigns on a platform of economic transformation, social inclusion, and good governance.
Anta Babacar Ngom
Anta Babacar Ngom, Candidate for the 2024 Senegalese Presidential Elections.
© Photo Facebook / Anta Babacar Ngom Diack
The 39-year-old is the youngest and the only female candidate in the race. She is a successful entrepreneur and the daughter of the founder of Sedima, a leading poultry production group in the region. She was the executive director of the company until she launched her political movement, the Alternative for the Next Generation of Citizens (ARC), in August 2023.
Ngom is a newcomer to politics and has no affiliation with any of the established parties. She appeals to the young and educated voters who are looking for a fresh and innovative vision for the country. She proposes to boost the private sector, diversify the economy, empower women and youth, and modernize the public administration.
Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne
Senegalese Prime Minister Mahammed Buon Abdallah Dionne announces the re-election of President Macky Sal on February 25, 2019 in Dakar.
© AFP 2023 SEYLLOU
The 64-year-old is a former prime minister and a close confidant of President Sall. He served as the head of the government from 2014 to 2019, when he was appointed as the secretary-general of the presidency. He resigned from this position in September 2023 to run for president as an independent candidate.
Dionne has a background in engineering and management, and has worked for several international organizations, including the World Bank and the United Nations. He is credited with overseeing the implementation of President Sall’s flagship development plan, the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE), which aims to make Senegal an emerging economy by 2035. He promises to build on the achievements of the PSE and to accelerate the country’s industrialization, digitalization, and social protection.
Aly Ngouille Ndiaye
Senegalese Interior minister Aly Ngouille Ndiaye looks on during the dispatching of election material at the National police academy in Dakar on February 6, 2019, ahead of the presidential election of February 24.
© AFP 2023 SEYLLOU
The 57-year-old is a former minister of interior and a member of the ruling coalition. He held various ministerial portfolios, including energy, industry, and mines, before being appointed as the interior minister in 2017. He resigned from the government in October 2023 to run for president as an independent candidate.
Ndiaye has a degree in petroleum engineering and has worked for several oil and gas companies, both in Senegal and abroad. He is a native of the northern region of Louga, where he has a strong support base. He is an advocate for more regional development, infrastructure investment, and security enhancement.
Bassirou Diomaye Faye
Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Candidate for the 2024 Senegalese Presidential Elections
© Photo Twitter / @exclusifnet
The 43-year-old is the secretary general of the PASTEF party, a major opposition force in Senegal that was recently dissolved. A tax and property inspector, he is a critic of the current regime and has been involved in several protests and campaigns for social justice.
Faye is the replacement candidate for PASTEF, which is maintaining the candidacy of its leader, Ousmane Sonko, despite the Supreme Court ruling that barred him from running.
Faye is running for president as an independent candidate for the first time.
