The talks called by Senegal’s President Macky Sall on Tuesday over the raging Political crisis in the country reached a “broad consensus” that the presidential vote he postponed could not be held before his mandate ends on April 2.
Sall’s two-day “national dialogue” aimed at setting a date for the delayed election also advocated the head of state remain in office beyond the end of his term and until his successor is installed.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the results strongly contradict the demands of a broad political and civic movement, which is calling for the poll to take place before April 2.
Following Sall’s last-minute postponement of the election scheduled for February 25, the historically stable West African nation is enduring its biggest political crisis in decades.
Significant political and social figures abstained from the two days of meetings Sall began on Monday to determine a new date after the Constitutional Council reversed the delay.
Two committees were formed to discuss the election date and the organisation of the period after April 2.
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The first committee came to the almost unanimous conclusion that the vote could not be held before April 2, four participants told newsmen.
Two participants who gave their names as Amar Thioune and Mamadou Lamine Mane, even said there was a “broad consensus” that the presidential election could not be held before June 2.
The second committee came to a “broad consensus” in favour of President Sall remaining in office until a successor is sworn in, six participants told reporters
Some taking part in the talks proposed the vote should take place in July, the same sources told AFP, referring to discussions rather than any written document.
The two committees were due to present their conclusions to the president late Tuesday.
No indication was given as to when Sall would then make a decision.
Last week, he said he would set a date “immediately” if there was a consensus.