Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
PRETORIA, Feb 6 /TASS/. Senegal's parliament has approved a proposal to postpone the presidential election in the West African country from February 25 to December 15 and extend the powers of current Senegalese President Macky Sall, which were due to expire on April 2, the Senego news website reported.
According to this media outlet, violent protests by opposition lawmakers accompanied the debate on the relevant bill. As a result, the Speaker of Parliament called in the gendarmes, who escorted the most active opposition legislators out of the Chamber because they were blocking access to the lectern. The remaining 105 MPs voted in favour of postponing the elections. It is noteworthy that some opposition legislators supported the pro-government faction, arguing the need to maintain stability in the country.
In a televised address to the nation on 3 February, Macky Sall said he was postponing the presidential vote because of "confusion with the candidates". In response, the opposition accused the head of state of a "constitutional coup" and called for protests. The first protest took place on 4 February in the capital Dakar. Law enforcement officers dispersed the demonstrators and arrested some of them. On Monday, an opposition rally was held in front of the parliament building. This too was dispersed by the gendarmerie.
TASS/gnews.cz-JaV_07
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