- Faye, 44, was elected Africa’s youngest leader in March, less than two weeks after being released from prison.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has dissolved the opposition-led parliament, clearing the path for quick elections six months after being elected.
Faye stated that working with parliament has gotten difficult since lawmakers refused to begin discussing the budget law and refused to dismantle wasteful government agencies.
“I will dissolve the national assembly to ask the independent people for institutional methods to bring about the systemic reforms that I have promised to do,” Faye said in a brief speech on Thursday evening.
The election will be place on November 17.
According to observers, Faye’s party, PASTEF (African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics, and Fraternity), has a good chance of winning a majority due to its popularity and 54 percent of the vote in the March presidential election.
The Benno Bokk Yaakar opposition platform, led by former President Macky Sall, opposed the move.
It said Faye had called a legal hearing under the guise of announcing his resignation and accused him of “lying”.
Faye, 44, won the March election to become Africa’s youngest leader, less than two weeks after being released from prison.
His rise reflects Senegal’s youth’s frustration with the country’s direction, a common view in Africa, which has the world’s smallest population and the most leaders accused of holding onto power for decades.
During the presidential campaign, Faye vowed big measures to improve the average Senegalese’s living standards, including as combating corruption, evaluating international fishing permits, and ensuring locals have a large portion of the country’s natural resources.
However, six months later, these promises have yet to be delivered.
