Senegal President Faye dissolves parliament to call snap election

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00:00Determined to deliver on his campaign pledges, Senegal's new president Bassirou Diomayfay

00:07announced the dissolution of the country's opposition-led parliament on Thursday.

00:13Unfortunately, the parliamentary majority has decided to go against the will of the

00:20Senegalese people.

00:23I am dissolving the National Assembly and ask the people to give me the constitutional

00:27means to enact the systemic transformation that I promised.

00:35Fay was elected in March on an anti-establishment platform and pledges to battle corruption,

00:42improve living standards and reassert Senegal's national sovereignty.

00:46But six months later, these reforms have yet to materialize, with the president blaming

00:51the National Assembly for systematically blocking his proposals.

00:56The dissolution now paves the way for snap legislative elections, which Fay says will

01:01be held on November 17th, in just over two months.

01:05A risky gamble for the 44-year-old head of state, who hopes his popularity, especially

01:11among young voters, can help his past F party secure a fresh majority in parliament.

01:17Historically, the Senegalese people tend to give the president the means to enact his

01:23policies following a presidential election.

01:29Meanwhile the Benoboc-Yakar opposition platform, led by former president Macky Sall, condemned

01:35the dissolution of parliament and accused Fay of perjury, another sign that political

01:41tensions continue to run high in the West African country.

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