Senegal presidential elections

A presidential election took place in Senegal on 26 February 2012 amid controversy over the constitutional validity of a third term bid by incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade. Wade announced that he would seek a third term, which was set at seven years under the constitution. While the 2001 constitution limited presidents to two terms, Wade argued that his election in 2000 for his first seven-year term fell under the previous constitution, which did not impose term limits. In the weeks leading up to election day, thousands of people marched through the streets of the capital, Dakar, protesting against Wade’s decision to run again. Several people were killed in clashes with police. In the runoff election held on 25 March, opposition leader Macky Sall defeated the incumbent president.

February 23, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: A campaign poster of the president Abdoulaye Wade is displayed in a outdoor at the corniche in central Dakar, ahead of the presidential elections on the 26th of February. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 22, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: A group of people react during a campaign rally for president Abdoulaye Wade in Pykine, a suburb of the capital Dakar, ahead of the presidential elections on the 26th of February. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 22, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade addresses a crowd of towsands during a campaign rally in Pykine, a suburb of the capital Dakar, ahead of the presidential elections on the 26th of February. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 24, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Supporters of the Presidential candidate Idrissa Seck rally in the last of day of electoral campaign in central Dakar. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 26, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Security men try to control a senegalese woman who was shouting insults against the president and candidate, Abdoulaye Wade, while voting at the Franco-Arab School in Point E area of Dakar. Hundreds of people queueing for voting insulted and heckled Wade, accusing the head of state of disrespect for the country's constitution when running for a third mandate. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 23, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: A opposition supporter sets alight a road block during a protest against the candidature of the current president Abdoulaye Wade for a anti-constitutional third candidature to as head of state. Tensions between police and opposition supporters have been high in the capital Dakar and other cities around the country, where some clashes have happen ahead of the presidential elections on the 26th of February. At least fourteen people have died in the past month. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 24, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Supporters of the presidential candidate Idrissa Seck rally in the last of day of electoral campaign in central Dakar. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 24, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Policemen take position to prevent presidential candidate Idrissa Seck's supporters to access the Presidential Palace during a rally in the last of day of electoral campaign in central Dakar. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 22, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: A local man passes by a campaign poster of the president Abdoulaye Wade is displayed in the fence of the senate's building in central Dakar, ahead of the presidential elections on the 26th of February. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 24, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Supporters of the presidential candidate Idrissa Seck rally in the last of day of electoral campaign in central Dakar. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 23, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: A group of opposition supporters gather around a burning road block during a protest against the candidature of the current president Abdoulaye Wade for a anti-constitutional third candidature to as head of state. Tensions between police and opposition supporters have been high in the capital Dakar and other cities around the country, where some clashes have happen ahead of the presidential elections on the 26th of February. At least fourteen people have died in the past month. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 28, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Senegalese presidential candidate Macky Sall walks by accompanied by his campaign staff at his house in central Dakar. According to the provisory results of last Sunday's presidential election, Macky will most likely be running against the former president and candidate Abdoulaye Wade in a second round of the elections. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 26, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: People queue for voting in the senegalese presidential elections at a polling station in Franco-Arab School in Point E area of Dakar. Hundreds arriving for voting in the early hours. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 26, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Senegalese police try to control a crowd who tried to attack president and candidate, Abdoulaye Wade, while voting at the Franco-Arab School in Point E area of Dakar. Hundreds of people queueing for voting insulted and heckled Wade, accusing the head of state of disrespect for the country's constitution when running for a third mandate. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 26, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: An election commissioner calls an elector to vote for the senegalese presidential elections at a polling station in Franco-Arab School in Point E area of Dakar. Hundreds arriving for voting in the early hours. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 26, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: A ink tub is seen on a voting table for the senegalese presidential elections at a polling station in Franco-Arab School in Point E area of Dakar. Hundreds arriving for voting in the early hours. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 26, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: A senegalese man leaves the voting ballot during the senegalese presidential elections at a polling station in Franco-Arab School in Point E area of Dakar. Hundreds arriving for voting in the early hours. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 26, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Senegal's president and candidate, Abdoulaye Wade, leaves the polling station in the Franco-Arab School in Point E area of Dakar. Hundreds of people queueing for voting insulted and heckled Wade, accusing the head of state of disrespect for the country's constitution when running for a third mandate. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 26, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: A senegalese man shouts insults against the president and candidate, Abdoulaye Wade, while votingat the Franco-Arab School in Point E area of Dakar. Hundreds of people queueing for voting insulted and heckled Wade, accusing the head of state of disrespect for the country's constitution when running for a third mandate. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 29, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Senegalese presidential candidate Macky Sall arrives at Terrou-Bi Hotel in central Dakar, to address the journalists in the first press conference since election day. According to the provisory results of last Sunday's presidential election, is now confirmed that Macky will be running against the former president and candidate Abdoulaye Wade in a second round of the elections, in a date yet to be defined. (Paulo Nunes dos Santos/Polaris)

February 22, 2012 - Dakar, Senegal: Senegalese president Abdoulaye Wade addresses a crowd of towsands during a campaign rally in Pykine, a suburb of the capital Dakar, ahead of the presidential elections on the 26th of February.

↑Back to Top