SENEGAL: Wade's opponents chase the Preisident Abdoulaye Wade , known as the "Hare" in Senegal polls.
Record ID:
455797
SENEGAL: Wade's opponents chase the Preisident Abdoulaye Wade , known as the "Hare" in Senegal polls.
- Title: SENEGAL: Wade's opponents chase the Preisident Abdoulaye Wade , known as the "Hare" in Senegal polls.
- Date: 27th February 2007
- Summary: ELECTION POSTER OF DIENG
- Embargoed: 14th March 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Senegal
- Country: Senegal
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAA2UIE3NHIGHS6Q14ESV5RIE3X
- Story Text: As the country prepares for presidential polls that pit incumbent Abdoulaye Wade against his former prime minister Idrissa Seck, people talk about the issues closest to their hearts and their hopes for their country. Recent violent has heightened tensions ahead of Sunday's vote. Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade -- nicknamed the "Hare" by foes for his political guile -- is looking to run away with a first round re-election victory in a presidential poll on Sunday (February 25).
But his opponents, including several former close allies, are snapping at his heels and have said they will resist any attempt by Wade to fraudulently force through a first-round win in the predominantly Muslim West African state.
Heated campaign rhetoric and sporadic clashes between rival supporters have raised fears of more serious political violence which could threaten Senegal's long-standing image as an oasis of peaceful democracy in a turbulent region.
Wade enjoys loyal support amongst many ordinary Senegalese. Builder Souleymane Sene says, on one of the many building sites that can be seen all over the capitol, all started by Wade, that he will vote for the 'old man' (a term Wade is known to the Senegalese people), because "... before we were unemployed but since he has become president, no young man is unemployed". And student Binta Diop echoes him: "You should believe in the right thing, because he (Wade) gave us the proof. He gave us the proof, because in the last 40 years, the ones who were there (in power), there are some who were there (in power) for 40 years, him (Wade) only had 7 years (in power) and he has done something."
Sunday's vote comes at a time when Senegal's international image -- carefully polished abroad by its leaders -- has been tarnished by the drama of thousands of desperate young Senegalese migrants risking their lives to try to reach Europe.
While most pundits see incumbent Wade as the frontrunner out of the 15 candidates standing, many also believe he will find it tough to muster the more than 50 percent of votes needed to win outright in the first round.
Critics argue the electoral coalition and wave of popular support that swept Wade to power in 2000 have evaporated amid discontent over high unemployment and inflation and anger over the repatriation by Spain of Senegalese migrants.
They say the sight of boatloads of exhausted, ragged Senegalese washing up on the beaches of the Canary Islands gives the lie to Wade's campaign proclamations that he has boosted public works, created jobs and reduced urban and rural poverty.
Ousmane Tanor Dieng, who is hoping to beat Wade to put Senegal's Socialist Party back in the presidency after a seven-year absence, condemned agreements made by Wade's government with Madrid last year to combat illegal migration.
"We're going to renegotiate these accords signed by this government," Dieng, a 59-year-old former diplomat, told Reuters in an interview before heading out on the campaign trail.
The agreements with Madrid led to Spanish patrol boats deploying off Senegal to intercept migrants and around 5,000 young Senegalese who had come ashore illegally in the Canary Islands being flown back home under Spanish police escort.
Dieng and other opponents accuse Wade of "selling out" the migrants for a Spanish pledge of 20 million euros ($26.28 million) of aid.
Offering aid in exchange for cooperation by West African governments, Spain has been struggling to stem the migrant exodus to its shores which saw more than 30,000 mostly Africans land in the Canaries last year, six times more than in 2005.
Wade, an octogenarian and only Senegal's third president since independence from France in 1960, is widely expected to head the field in Sunday's first round vote as the flag-bearer of the ruling Senegalese Democratic Party.
A lawyer by profession, he was elected in 2000, ending 40 years of Socialist Party rule and pledging to end unemployment and improve living standards.
But many analysts believe Wade may not win the 50 percent of votes required for a first round victory on Sunday, and they predict the presidential contest could go to a second round.
They say the electoral coalition which brought Wade to power in 2000 has suffered splits and defections, although the president still has the support of the economically and socially influential Mouride brotherhood.
Wade's popularity has also been dented by political infighting, graft scandals and complaints by ordinary people that public services and living conditions have not improved. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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