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Senegal: Semi-Official Results, Relative Transparence |
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Prime Minister Macky Sall announced this morning that Wade is in the lead with approximately 57% of the vote. Again, reactions have been calm in Dakar.
The elections were, regardless of how one views the results, conducted with an admirable degree of transparence. Voters entered their precints and took 15 slips of paper, each with a candidate's name and photo, and headed into a private booth. They then placed the card of their choice into an envelope, and disposed of the other 14. Envelopes were then placed into ballot boxes which were themselves literally transparent. Following poll closings and final counts, results were posted outside of each polling station. Though this process has its potential drawbacks - voters were allowed to keep the other candidates' cards, which could offer proof in case of vote buying - most Senegalese appeared to have a high degree of confidence in the fairness of the process.
The importance of Senegal's elections was outlined in an earlier post, but to restate it here, Senegal is one of the most stable democracies in Africa and, now that Cote D'Ivoire is in a period of decline, arguably the shining star of West Africa. When democratic mechanisms work effectively here, they establish a positive example for the rest of the continent, and counter stereotypes that all African politics center around coups and revolts. The relative smoothness of these free and open elections in a 95% Muslim country should also send a message to those who argue that Islam is incompatible with democracy.
