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A30 world news
Dialuna 1 augustus 2022

Senegal’s legislative election tests ruling party influence

have changed laws to remain “If the opposition wins, the
in power for third terms. president will no longer be
able to think of a third term.
Sunday’s election will give On the other hand, if the rul-
a clearer indication of what ing power wins the ballot, its
could happen in 2024. supporters can push the pres-
ident towards a third term,”
“For (the ruling party), it is he warns.
a question of doing every-
thing to maintain an absolute Sall hasn’t talked about a
majority in the National As- third term but has promised
sembly in order to be able to to address the nation Mon-
govern quietly until 2024 … day, the day after the election.
and guarding the possibility
of passing certain laws to pre- “Only the people have the
pare for all eventualities at the last word,” Sall said after
end of Sall’s second term,” casting his ballot in Fatick,
said Mame Ngor Ngom, a his hometown 189 kilome-
political analyst. ters (117 miles) from Dakar.
“After having exercised their
Even though Sonko’s can- right to vote, everyone must
didacy was rejected by the go about their business quiet-
Constitutional Council, he ly. Life goes on and the Sen-
has organized opposition egalese nation is still united,
supporters across Senegal. strong.”
A victory for the opposition
“would be synonymous with Dissatisfaction with Sall has
the rejection of a possible risen as possible adversar-
third candidacy for Sall and ies — including the popu-
a probable victory in the next lar former mayor of Dakar,
(AP) — Voting was un- the National Assembly amid presidential election,” Ngom Khalifa Sall, and ex-president
derway Sunday for Sen- a politically tense atmosphere This year, he and another of said. Abdoulaye Wade’s son Karim
egal’s legislative election, in the West African nation. Sall’s major opponents were Wade — have been targeted
a vital test for opposition Violent protests broke out disqualified as candidates, Sall’s Benno Bokk Yakaar rul- by the judiciary and disquali-
parties who are trying to last year after Sall’s main op- which sparked more wide- ing party currently holds 75% fied from running for office.
minimize the ruling par- ponent, Ousmane Sonko, spread anger and protests in of the legislature’s seats. Many accuse Sall of using
ty’s influence before the was arrested on rape charges, which three people died in his power to eliminate oppo-
2024 presidential election and more than a dozen peo- June. Serigne Thiam, a political nents.
amid worries that Presi- ple were killed. Sonko, who science expert at Cheikh Anta
dent Macky Sall may seek came in third in the 2019 Senegal, with a population of Diop University in Dakar, Anger has also grown amid
a third term. election, denies the allega- 17 million, is known for its says the opposition is push- economic worries as prices
tions and his supporters have stability in a region that has ing the subject of a possible for fuel and food have sky-
About 7 million voters are el- been vocal about their oppo- seen coups in three countries third term over other issues. rocketed due to the war in
igible to elect 165 deputies in sition to the president. since 2020 and where leaders Ukraine.

China says remains of rocket booster fall to Earth

(AP) — Debris from a rocket one on the ground was af- most-powerful rocket, car- nauts live. termined area of the South
that boosted part of China’s fected. ried the Wentian laboratory Pacific after most of it burned
new space station into orbit into orbit. It was attached on The remains of a separate up on reentry, the govern-
fell into the sea in the Philip- China has faced criticism for Monday to the Tianhe main cargo spacecraft that serviced ment announced earlier.
pines on Sunday, the Chinese allowing rocket stages to fall module, where three astro- the station fell into a prede-
government announced. to Earth uncontrolled twice
before. NASA accused Bei-
Most of the final stage of jing last year of “failing to
the Long March-5B rocket meet responsible standards
burned up after entering the regarding their space debris”
atmosphere at 12:55 a.m., the after parts of a Chinese rocket
China Manned Space Agen- landed in the Indian Ocean.
cy reported. The agency said
earlier the booster would be The country’s first space sta-
allowed to fall unguided. tion, Tiangong-1, crashed
into the Pacific Ocean in 2016
The announcement gave no after Beijing confirmed it lost
details of whether remaining control. An 18-ton rocket fell
debris fell on land or sea but uncontrolled in May 2020.
said the “landing area” was
at 119 degrees east longitude China also faced criticism af-
and 9.1 degrees north lati- ter using a missile to destroy
tude. That is in waters south- one of its defunct weather
east of the Philippine city of satellites in 2007, creating a
Puerto Princesa on the island field of debris that other gov-
of Palawan. ernments said might jeopar-
dize other satellites.
There was no immediate
word from Philippine au- The July 24 launch of the
thorities about whether any- Long March-5B, China’s