Politics of Senegal 27282 211123265 2008-05-08T21:47:47Z The Transhumanist 1754504 remove extraneous parameter in transclusion call, Replaced: {{Africa in topic|Politics of|African politics}} → {{Africa in topic|Politics of}} using [[Project:AutoWikiBrowser|AWB]] {{Unreferenced|date=February 2007}} {{Politics of Senegal}} '''Politics of Senegal''' takes place in a framework of a [[semi-presidential system|semi-presidential]], [[liberal democracy|liberal democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of Senegal]] is the [[head of state]] and the [[Prime Minister of Senegal]] the [[head of government]]. [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[government]] and parliament. The [[Judiciary]] is independent of the executive and the legislature. [[Senegal]] is one of the few [[Africa]]n states that has never experienced a [[coup d'etat]]. [[Léopold Senghor]], the first president after independence, abdicated in favor of his Prime Minister, [[Abdou Diouf]] in 1981. The present president, [[Abdoulaye Wade]], was elected in fully democratic elections in March 2000. Senegal has a reputation for transparency in government operations. The level of economic [[political corruption|corruption]] that has damaged the development of the economies in other parts of the world is very low. Today Senegal has a democratic political culture, being part of one of the most successful democratic transitions in Africa. Senegal recognizes and respects all cultures, religions and traditions. ==Introduction== The President is elected by universal adult suffrage to a 5-year term. The unicameral National Assembly has 120 members, who are elected separately from the President. The [[Socialist Party (Senegal)|Socialist Party]] dominated the National Assembly until April 2001, when in free and fair legislative elections, President Wade's coalition won a majority (89 of 120 seats). The [[Court of Cassation (Senegal)|Cour de Cassation]] (Highest Appeals Court, equivalent to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]) and the Constitutional Council, the justices of which are named by the President, are the nation's highest tribunals. Senegal is divided into 11 administrative regions, each headed by a governor appointed by and responsible to the President. The law on [[decentralization]], which came into effect in January [[1997]], distributed significant central government authority to regional assemblies. Senegal’s principal political party was for 40 years the [[Socialist Party (Senegal)|Socialist Party]] (PS). Its domination of political life came to an end in March 2000, when Abdoulaye Wade, the leader of the [[Senegalese Democratic Party]] (PDS) and leader of the opposition for more than 25 years, won the presidency. Under the terms of the 2001 constitution, future presidents will serve for 5 years and be limited to two terms. Wade was the last President to be elected to a 7-year term. President Wade has advanced a liberal agenda for Senegal, including privatizations and other market-opening measures. He has a strong interest in raising Senegal’s regional and international profile. The country, nevertheless, has limited means with which to implement ambitious ideas. The liberalization of the economy is proceeding, but at a slow pace. Senegal continues to play a significant role in regional and international organizations. President Wade has made excellent relations with the United States a high priority. There are presently some 65 political parties, most of which are marginal and little more than platforms for their leaders. The principal political parties, however, constitute a true multiparty, democratic political culture, and they have contributed to one of the most successful democratic transitions in Africa, even among all developing countries. A flourishing independent media, largely free from official or informal control, also contributes to the democratic politics of Senegal. The image of Wade as a constitutional democrat has however been tarnished by events at the end of his mandate. When faced with internal dissent within his own party his main opponent [[Idrissa Seck]] was arrested, accused of treason. Wade currently refuses to go along with holding presidential elections in [[2006]], arguing that there are economic reasons for wanting to hold the presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously in [[2007]]. Initially Wade's government had the support of a broad section of groups opposed to the socialist government, but gradually individual parties have disassociated themselves from the government and joined the opposition efforts led by PS. ==Executive branch== {{office-table}} |[[President of Senegal|President]] |[[Abdoulaye Wade]] |[[Senegalese Democratic Party|PDS]] |[[1 April]] [[2000]] |- |[[Prime Minister of Senegal|Prime Minister]] |[[Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré]] | |June [[2007]] |} The president is elected by popular vote for a seven-year term. The prime minister is appointed by the president. The Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the president ==Legislative branch== The [[National Assembly of Senegal|National Assembly]] (''Assemblée Nationale'') has 120 members, elected for a five year term, by [[parallel voting]], with multi-seat rather than single-seat [[constituency|constituencies]] for the plurality part of the system.[http://aceproject.org/ace-en/topics/es/esy/esy_sn] ==Political parties and elections== {{elect|List of political parties in Senegal|Elections in Senegal}} {{Senegalese presidential election, 2007}} {{Senegalese parliamentary election, 2007}} ==Judicial branch== The nation's highest courts that deal with business issues are the constitutional council, and the court of justice, members of which are named by the president. ==Administrative divisions== Senegal is subdivided into 11 regions (''régions'', singular - ''région''): [[Dakar Region|Dakar]], [[Diourbel Region|Diourbel]], [[Fatick Region|Fatick]], [[Kaolack Region|Kaolack]], [[Kolda Region|Kolda]], [[Louga Region|Louga]], [[Matam Region|Matam]], [[Saint-Louis Region|Saint-Louis]], [[Tambacounda Region|Tambacounda]], [[Thiès Region|Thiès]], [[Ziguinchor Region|Ziguinchor]]. Local administrators are all appointed by and responsible to the President. ==International relations== Senegal joined with [[The Gambia]] to form the nominal confederation of [[Sénégambia Confederation|Senegambia]] in 1982. However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace talks, a separatist group in the southern [[Casamance]] region has sporadically clashed with government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of participating in international [[UN peacekeeping|peacekeeping]]. Senegal is member of [[Agence de Coopération Culturelle et Technique|ACCT]], [[ACP (Lomé Convention)|ACP]], [[African Development Bank|AfDB]], [[United Nations Economic Commission for Africa|ECA]], [[Economic Community of West African States|ECOWAS]], [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], [[FZ]], [[Group of 15|G-15]], [[Group of 77|G-77]], [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]], [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], [[International Criminal Court|ICCt]], [[International Chamber of Commerce|ICC]], [[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[IDB]], [[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], [[International Finance Corporation|IFC]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|IFRCS]], [[International Labour Organization|ILO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], [[International Maritime Organization|IMO]], [[International Mobile Satellite Organization|Inmarsat]], [[Intelsat]], [[Interpol]], [[IOC]], [[International Organization for Migration|IOM]], [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], [[MIPONUH]], [[NAM]], [[Organisation of African Unity|OAU]], [[Organization of the Islamic Conference|OIC]], [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]], [[Permanent Court of Arbitration|PCA]], [[United Nations|UN]], [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development|UNCTAD]], [[UNESCO]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission|UNIKOM]], [[United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina|UNMIBH]], [[United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo|UNMIK]], [[UNTAET]], [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[WADB]], [[West African Economic and Monetary Union|WAEMU]], [[WCL]], [[World Customs Organization|WCO]], [[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], [[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], [[World Tourism Organization|WToO]], [[World Trade Organization|WTrO]] {{Africa in topic|Politics of}} [[Category:Politics of Senegal| ]] [[fr:Politique du Sénégal]] [[pt:Política do Senegal]]