Today in Senegal, citizens are heading to the polls to vote in a crucial legislative election. This election will determine whether newly-elected President Bassirou Diomaye Faye will have the support he needs to carry out his ambitious reforms. With 165 seats up for grabs in the nation’s assembly, Faye’s party currently does not hold a majority.

A total of 41 candidate lists and four major coalitions are vying for seats in the assembly, with former President Macky Sall leading the Takku Wallu opposition platform. Faye, who was elected in March on an anti-establishment platform, has faced challenges in implementing his promised reforms, which include combatting corruption, reviewing fishing permits for foreign companies, and securing a greater share of the country’s natural resources for the population.

These difficulties have been exacerbated by the absence of Faye’s prime minister Ousmane Sonko from the assembly, where the opposition has threatened a vote of no confidence. On Friday, the tense electoral campaign came to a close, with sporadic clashes between supporters of different parties.

As Senegalese citizens cast their votes today, all eyes will be on the results of this election as they will have significant implications for the future direction of the country. Will Faye’s party gain the majority needed to push through his promised reforms, or will the opposition gain enough seats to block his agenda? Senegalese voters have the power to shape their country’s future, and only time will tell which path they choose to take

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