Senegal’s Constitutional Court has ruled that President Macky Sall’s unprecedented postponement of the February 25 presidential vote was not in line with the constitution, pitching the country into a new phase of electoral uncertainty.

Opposition presidential candidates and lawmakers last week filed a number of legal challenges to the decision that delayed the vote to December and extended President Macky Sall’s mandate in what critics said amounted to an “institutional coup.”

They were particularly challenging the decree delaying the polls by President Sall and its subsequent approval by parliament.

The standoff has fuelled widespread unrest and raised international concerns that one of the remaining democracies in coup-hit West Africa is under threat.

Opposition has welcomed the ruling, according to the media. 

MNA