In a high-stakes political maneuver, the leader of the Patriotes movement has publicly urged the Head of State to expedite a decree setting the date for upcoming local elections. Speaking during a rally that drew massive crowds in Tivaouane, Ousmane Sonko emphasized the president’s authority to issue such decrees, comparing the move to recent dismissals of high-ranking officials.

« Issuing a decree to remove Fadilou Keïta from the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations or Waly Diouf Bodiang from the Port Autonome de Dakar falls within the president’s prerogatives, and no one disputes that, » Sonko stated. « But the same decree must be used to define the election date—these are both routine executive decisions. » His remarks come amid growing concerns over delays in the electoral calendar, with legal deadlines fast approaching.

Djibril Gningue, a prominent electoral expert, warns that the president has only a narrow window left to act before the legal framework for the vote becomes unworkable. The absence of a published decree to convene the electorate has heightened political tensions, particularly as the opposition continues to pressure for clarity on the electoral timeline.

Sonko’s latest intervention follows his nationwide campaign to distribute voter cards, during which he consistently opposed any postponement of the local elections. His public stance underscores the deepening rift between the executive and legislative branches, as the Assembly’s president has also directly questioned the president’s handling of the electoral process.