Senegal elects on the national level a head of state – the president – and a legislature. The president is elected for a seven-year term by the people (between 2001 and 2008, it was a five-year term; this was changed back to the pre-2001 seven-year term in 2008,[1] though incumbent president Macky Sall has stated he wants to have it reverted to five-year terms[2]).
The National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) has 150 members, elected for a five-year term, in multi-seat constituencies. Senegal has a multi-party system.
In 2010, as a result of feminist campaigning,[3] Law 2010-11 of 28 May 2010 established "absolute parity" in all institutions that are "partially or totally" electoral. Lists of candidates have to alternate candidates of "the two sexes".[4]
In the 2012 parliamentary election, 64 of the 150 seats[5] (43%) were won by women candidates and in the 2022 election, 73 of the 165 seats (44%) were won by women.[6]
See main article: 2024 Senegalese presidential election.
See main article: 2022 Senegalese parliamentary election.