Senegal’s Legislative Elections Amid Growing Violence and Alleged Use of State Resources
As Senegal approaches its legislative elections on November 17, 2024, a report from 46 civil society observers has highlighted a rise in political violence and concerns over the use of state resources during the campaign. The report notes an increase in incidents of violence during the first ten days of the campaign, as well as instances of candidates exploiting state assets for political gain. One example cited is the Minister of Health, who, while also running as a candidate in Podor, was seen distributing equipment to a local dispensary, raising concerns about the fairness of the election. Forum Civil, a watchdog group, criticized this as a violation of the principle of equality among competitors, with 26% of reported incidents involving such misuse of state resources. These concerns come as the country prepares to elect 165 new members to the National Assembly for a five-year term.