Senegal's election outcome is uncertain

Significance This follows a highly controversial and contested postponement of the polls initially scheduled for February 25. A record 19 candidates are vying for the presidency, including President Macky Sall’s anointed successor, former Prime Minister Amadou Ba, as well as Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a proxy for opposition champion Ousmane Sonko, whose candidacy was blocked by the Constitutional Court. Impacts A first-round victory for Ba could cause another wave of major protests by the opposition. Although small, the coup risk could increase in the event of a major post-electoral crisis. A Diomaye presidency could struggle to address Senegal’s deep-seated structural problems.