Le Pastef est sûr de gagner la présidentielle au Sénégal, "même si notre candidat est en prison"

FRANCE 24

29 Jan 202411:46

Summary

TLDRBiram Souid Diob, vice president of Ousman Sonko's Pastef party, discusses upcoming Senegalese presidential elections. With opposition candidates Sonko and Karim disqualified, Diob claims the election will not be fair or inclusive. He alleges the government targeted Sonko to prevent his candidacy. Diob supports investigating claims of corruption against Constitutional Council magistrates. If imprisoned candidate Bass remains jailed, Pastef will still campaign for him. Diob is confident of victory despite President Macky Sall's machine. He suggests reevaluating the CFA franc currency.

Takeaways

😊 The interview discusses Senegalese politics and the upcoming presidential election on February 25th, 2024
😞 Ousmane Sonko, a major opposition figure, was disqualified as a candidate by the Constitutional Council
🤔 The opposition claims state institutions targeted Sonko to prevent him from running
👨‍⚖️ The opposition supports investigating Constitutional Council judges for alleged corruption
🤝 The opposition coalition will continue campaigning, with Biram Souleye Dione as their candidate
🔒 Dione is currently in prison pending trial but the opposition is confident they can still win
😠 The opposition accuses the government of unfairly jailing and disqualifying opponents
🗳️ Both the opposition and the prime minister say they are sure of winning the election
💰 The opposition wants to reconsider the use of the West African CFA franc currency
🇸🇳 The election will be an important test for Senegalese democracy and sovereignty

Q & A

Why was Ousmane Sonko disqualified as a presidential candidate?
-Sonko was disqualified due to procedural issues with his application, which the state allegedly sabotaged to prevent him from running. The transcript mentions multiplied legal procedures, accusations, and a ruling that his application was incomplete.
What kind of investigation does the PDS party want to initiate?
-The PDS party wants to investigate allegations of corruption against magistrates on the Constitutional Council, who disqualified Karim Wade and Ousmane Sonko as candidates.
Is Biram Souleye Djob still an active presidential candidate?
-Yes, Biram Souleye Djob is still an eligible presidential candidate despite being in prison awaiting trial.
How does the PASTEF party plan to campaign if Biram Souleye Djob remains in prison?
-The vice president says they will campaign for Djob even if he is in prison, focusing on their political program and proposed reforms rather than individuals.
Why does the vice president think they can win the election?
-He believes their electoral machine is ready, they have majority support based on intentions polling around 71%, and the additional politicians who have joined their coalition.
How did Macky Sall's retirement affect PASTEF's strategy?
-It shifted their focus from protesting against a third term to preparing to defeat Sall at the polls and expose weaknesses in how he runs the country.
What accusations has Macky Sall made against Ousmane Sonko?
-Links to terrorist groups and corruption of youths, but the vice president says these accusations are unsupported and blames the failed sexual assault case.
Would PASTEF consider leaving the CFA franc?
-The vice president says currency sovereignty is important and they would reconsider Senegal's participation in the CFA franc monetary system.
Why was Ousmane Sonko barred for a defamation conviction?
-The vice president sees this minor conviction as an excuse, when major government corruption cases are ignored and candidates keep running.
Who does the vice president see as PASTEF's real opponent?
-He says in a presidential election, the real opponent is the Senegalese people and their desire for change, not the Prime Minister.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Discussion on excluded major political figures from upcoming presidential election

The first paragraph is a discussion with PAM Souley Diob, the first vice president of the Pastef party, regarding the upcoming Senegalese presidential election on February 25th. Major opposition figures like Karim Wade and Ousmane Sonko have been excluded from running. Diob argues the election cannot be considered fair or inclusive without these major opposition candidates. He details the government's strategies to prevent Sonko from running.

05:03

😞 Perspectives on imprisoned opposition candidate Boubacar Camara

The second paragraph continues the discussion around imprisoned opposition candidate Boubacar Camara. Diob expresses optimism about his potential release and ability to still run an effective campaign from prison. However, the host questions how feasible it would be for an imprisoned candidate to actually win the election.

10:03

🤔 Considerations around economy and currency if opposition wins

The third paragraph shifts the conversation to economic policy questions. Specifically, around potential changes to the West African CFA franc currency that Senegal currently uses. Diob suggests a new opposition government would reconsider staying in the currency union given implications around sovereignty and economic exchange.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡élection présidentielle

The presidential election is a key theme throughout the interview. It is set to take place on February 25th in Senegal. The interview discusses how the election will take place without two major political figures as candidates - Karim Wade and Ousmane Sonko. The election's legitimacy and inclusivity are questioned without these opposition leaders able to run.

💡Ousmane Sonko

Ousmane Sonko is a major Senegalese opposition political figure and leader of the Pastef party who has been barred from running in the upcoming presidential election. His candidacy and party were targeted by legal troubles and he was accused of various charges. The interview focuses on his inability to run and its impact on the election and democracy.

💡Karim Wade

Karim Wade is the son of former president Abdoulaye Wade and leader of the PDS party. Like Ousmane Sonko, he is also barred from running in the election. His party has called for an investigation into alleged corruption of the Constitutional Council that made the decision.

💡liberté provisoire

This term refers to "provisional freedom" or pre-trial release from prison in Senegal's legal system. Opposition leader Biram Souleymane Diouf has been denied this five times already as he remains imprisoned awaiting trial, putting his candidacy in jeopardy.

💡fraude électorale

Electoral fraud is implied as a concern given the barring of opposition candidates. The interviewee states they are confident of victory despite this, with their party ready to monitor voting and any irregularities.

💡Conseil constitutionnel

Senegal's Constitutional Council ruled that Ousmane Sonko was ineligible to run in the election. The PDS party has called for an investigation into possible corruption related to this decision.

💡dissolution de parti

Ousmane Sonko's Pastef party was forcibly dissolved by the government, contributing to blocking him from participating in the election.

💡monnaie commune

The CFA franc currency used by many former French colonies in West Africa is discussed. The interviewee questions remaining in this monetary union as a challenge to true sovereignty.

💡souveraineté

The concept of sovereignty comes up regarding the CFA franc and also in the context of fully independent, legitimate elections.

💡démocratie

Democracy is a core theme, with the fairness and legitimacy of the election being questioned without major opposition candidates. The barring of candidates like Ousmane Sonko is seen as a blow to democracy.

Highlights

The study found a significant increase in test scores for students who participated in the new math curriculum.

Researchers developed a novel theoretical framework to analyze socioeconomic impacts of public policy.

Dr. Smith presented innovative techniques for synthesizing nanomaterial structures with unique optical properties.

Utilizing big data and machine learning led to highly accurate predictions of customer churn.

The new antibiotic showed potent efficacy against drug-resistant bacterial strains in vitro.

This research highlights the need for more studies on the long-term effects of social media usage.

Our climate model projects severe droughts in the region by 2050 under a high emissions scenario.

Implementing evidence-based policies could significantly reduce disparities in educational outcomes.

This discovery challenges long-held assumptions about the evolution of this species.

The new polymer has potential for many commercial and industrial applications.

Further research is critically needed to develop more effective therapies for this disease.

Our findings provide intriguing clues into the neurological basis of creativity.

This technology could dramatically increase manufacturing efficiency and reduce costs.

The authors advocate for holistic, patient-centered approaches to improve healthcare outcomes.

Implementing this policy nationally could generate billions in economic growth.