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Senegal's president defend mandate in parliamentary race

With fireworks displays, packed rallies, and towntotown caravans, Senegalese political parties are charming citizens in a parliamentary race that will choose the extent to which the brand-new president will be able to execute his program.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has actually been under pressure to make great on promises to punish corruption and enhance incomes that assisted sweep him to power in April following a. landslide election triumph the previous month.

Faye has actually accused lawmakers in the opposition-led national. assembly of refusing to engage in meaningful talks on the spending plan. and other propositions and dissolved parliament last month, paving. the method for the legislative election on Nov. 17.

Campaigning officially kicked off on Sunday. Faye's Pastef. celebration is contending for a majority that would protect his required,. but previous ruling celebrations have formed a rival coalition that. unites the nation's prominent ex-presidents Macky Sall and. Abdoulaye Wade.

This election has symbolic significance, said political. analyst Mamadou Seck. The critical challenge today is for. Diomaye Faye to understand whether individuals who chose him. with 54% still support his programme.

Previously in October, the federal government revealed an enthusiastic. 25-year development plan that Faye assured would improve regional. market, diversify the economy, and create much-needed tasks for. the West African country's fast-growing population.

The main threat to Pastef's aspirations is the unforeseen. alliance of Sall's Alliance for the Republic celebration (APR) and. Wade's Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), who together accounted. for 106 of 165 seats in the outgoing national assembly.

This is the very first time Pastef has chosen to run alone,. without a coalition. It appears that they are testing their. strength and influence, stated analyst Seck, warning that the. party had actually also hired one-time allies of Sall in an effort to. support assistance.

The race likewise consists of 2 smaller opposition unions. represented by previous Prime Minister Amadou Bachelor's degree and mayor of the. capital Dakar Barthelemy Dias.

I wish all Senegalese and all political actors a serene. and dignified electoral project, and I guarantee that ... the. best will win, Faye stated on national television on Friday.

(source: Reuters)