She had been urging her friends and family relentlessly to persuade them to vote for a significant change in government. And on Friday, Aminata Faye, 22, found herself at the forefront of a stadium in Senegal, in the city of Mbour, eagerly waiting to hear from the opposition politician who had inspired her — along with his presidential candidate — in the final stop of a fast-paced campaign.
“They’re the only ones saying they’re going to change the system,” said Ms. Faye, a college student.
Senegal, a West African nation, is set to elect a new president on Sunday, in an election that many young people view as an opportunity to revolutionize the political and economic landscape. The lead-up to the election has been intense.
Last month, the incumbent president, Macky Sall, abruptly called off the election with only three weeks remaining. However, he eventually agreed to proceed with it. Then, last week, he released the confrontational opposition figure, Ousmane Sonko, whom many see as his rival, from jail, along with Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the presidential candidate endorsed by Mr. Sonko.
The unexpected twists and turns have left many Senegalese relieved that the election is taking place and that their highly praised democracy seems to remain intact.
While there are a total of 19 candidates, experts believe the election will likely result in a runoff between Mr. Faye and the candidate from the governing party, Prime Minister Amadou Ba. Opinion polls are prohibited in Senegal during the election season, so there is no concrete indication of who is favored to win.
However, if you ask most young people who they support, they will mention Mr. Sonko, who isn’t even on the ballot.
