- Title: Senegal's final presidential candidate list excludes opposition leader Sonko
- Date: 21st January 2024
- Summary: DAKAR, SENEGAL (FILE - MARCH 14, 2023) (REUTERS) DRONE VIEW OF CROWD OF SUPPORTERS OF SENEGAL OPPOSITION LEADER, OUSMANE SONKO VARIOUS OF SONKO WAVING TO SUPPORTERS FROM CAR SUN ROOF SUPPORTERS SONKO WAVING TO SUPPORTERS
- Embargoed: 4th February 2024 13:13
- Keywords: africa change civil corruption court decisions elections emerging government markets politics president unrest voting west
- Location: DAKAR, SENEGAL
- City: DAKAR, SENEGAL
- Country: Senegal
- Topics: Africa,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001407121012024RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Senegal's constitutional council late on Saturday (January 20) released a final list of 20 candidates for February's presidential election that excluded opposition leader Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade, the son of former president Abdoulaye Wade.
President Macky Sall will hand over power after ruling out a third term in July, ending lengthy speculation that helped fuel some of the deadliest violence in the normally stable West African nation's modern history.
Sonko, 49, has been battling various court cases since 2021 and the authorities deny his accusations they are politically motivated, although public backlash to his treatment has fuelled unrest.
Another notable exclusion from the final list of candidates is Karim Wade, who saw his hopes of running in the last presidential race scuppered by a corruption conviction. He has since received a presidential pardon, but remains ineligible to run due to being a dual citizen when he submitted his candidacy.
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