Senegal’s president, Macky Sall, this Saturday appointed Amadou Ba as the new prime minister, a post he abolished in 2019 and then reinstated in December 2021, pending local and parliamentary elections before today’s appointment.
Amadou Ba, former finance minister, was appointed by presidential decree in a deeply politically divided country five days after a parliamentary reopening marked by a series of incidents.
Faced with the price increases, the new head of government, former Minister of Finance from 2013 to 2019 and of Foreign Affairs between 2019 and 2020, will be tasked with “wide consultation” and taking “new measures” at the social level.Macky Sall said in a speech to the nation broadcast on national television Friday night.
“Measures to lower the cost of living and support youth employment and entrepreneurship, the fight against flooding and high rents will remain my top priority,” said the Senegalese head of state.
These priorities were recalled today by the new Prime Minister in his maiden speech, following the reading of the appointment decision by the Secretary-General of the Presidency.
The abolition of the prime minister’s post in May 2019 was supposed to make the functioning of the state smoother and had established a new balance of power by strengthening the presidential character of the Senegalese regime.
The opposition and part of civil society at the time saw the abolition of this office as an attempt by President Sall to seize power.
Nearly three and a half years later, the head of state is still criticized by the opposition for his solitary leadership.
Macky Sall, who was elected for seven years in 2012 and re-elected for five years in 2019, remains unclear as to what his intentions are for 2024.
Source: DN
