Senegal’s Constitutional Council has confirmed the presidential election victory of opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
The confirmation on Friday, March 29, paves the way for his inauguration as the country’s fifth president, expected to take place on April 2.
The top court validated provisional results announced on Wednesday based on vote tallies from 100 percent of polling stations.
Faye – an anti-establishment candidate and ally of popular opposition figure Ousmane Sonko – won more than 54 percent of votes cast in last Sunday’s delayed presidential poll.
His closest competitor in the polls, ruling coalition candidate Amadou Ba who was handpicked by outgoing President Macky Sall, took about 35 percent of the vote.
The Council said no objections had been raised by the other contenders. At age 44, Faye becomes Africa’s youngest president.
The African Union hailed the “unanimous acceptance of the results”. African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat said he “warmly congratulates” Faye on his victory and wished him “full success in his weighty and noble charge”.
French President Emmanuel Macron also offered Faye “warm congratulations” and said France wanted to “continue and intensify the partnership” between their countries, his office said.
Faye’s victory came just 10 days after he was freed from prison.
Analysts said his win reflected a protest against the outgoing leadership and divisions within a powerful, but weakened, governing coalition.
