The speaker of Senegal's parliament has resigned. A dramatic escalation in a political crisis that has gripped the West African nation. Sources close to the speaker's office say the move was intended to 'unblock the situation.' But insiders tell me it was a pre-emptive strike. The speaker feared a vote of no confidence. He jumped before he was pushed.
This is not a resignation. It is a concession. A sign that President Macky Sall's grip on power is loosening. The parliament speaker was a key ally. A man chosen to manage the legislative agenda. His departure leaves a vacuum. A vacuum the opposition will try to fill.
Let me take you into the game. The president is facing a united opposition. They smell blood. They have been coordinating attacks on his government for months. The resignation is a victory for them. But it is a pyrrhic one. It removes a figurehead. It does not remove the underlying problems.
The crisis began with a disputed election. The opposition claims the vote was rigged. They have been protesting for weeks. The government has responded with force. Arrests. Tear gas. A heavy-handed tactic that has only inflamed tensions.
The international community is watching. France. The EU. The African Union. They have all called for calm. For dialogue. But the president is not in a listening mood. He sees this as a threat to his rule. He will not go quietly.
The resignation of the parliament speaker is a rabbit punch. but it does not end the fight. The opposition will now demand new elections. They will push for a transitional government. The president will resist. He will try to hold on.
What happens next? The judiciary could become the battleground. Or the streets. We are in uncharted territory. The game is fluid. The only certainty is that nothing is certain.
I have spoken to a senior government source. They told me: 'This is a temporary setback. The president remains in control.' But I have also heard from an opposition figure. He said: 'The beginning of the end.' Both could be right. The next 48 hours will be critical.
For now, the speaker is gone. The crisis remains. And the country holds its breath.
Eleanor Rigby, Political Bureau Chief.
