Senegal: Opposition Candidate Faye Takes Early Lead in Presidential Election

The first round of Senegal's presidential election saw Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the anointed candidate of opposition politician Ousmane Sonko, taking an early lead. He was initially called upon to celebrate prematurely by Amadou Ba, the ruling coalition candidate, but later offered his congratulations on Monday. If elected, Faye would become Senegal's youngest president at 62 years old. He has promised to prioritize left-wing pan-Africanism and renegotiate gas and oil contracts with foreign companies. Faye, who has never held a nationally elected position before, is expected to focus on weeding out corruption, restoring stability, and promoting economic sovereignty. The official results of the election are anticipated in the coming days, and it remains uncertain whether Faye will secure more than 50% of the votes to prevent a run-off.