Senegal began voting Sunday for a new president in an unpredictable race following three years of turmoil and political crisis.
Around 7.3 million voters are registered in the West African nation where two favourites have emerged – the governing coalition’s former prime minister Amadou Ba and anti-establishment candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
They were both once tax inspectors but now appear to have little in common. Ba, 62, offers continuity while the 43-year-old Faye promises profound change and left-wing pan-Africanism.
Both say they will claim a first-round victory — but a second round looks probable with 15 other candidates in the field, including a sole woman, at a date yet to be decided.
Former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall, 68, is considered to have an outside chance.
“It’s a symbolic and historic day for me because it wasn’t easy to hold these elections, it was gained through a great fight,” voter Mohamed Bop, 42, told AFP in Dakar.
“So, I’m very relieved and proud,” he added.
The eventual winner will be tasked with steering traditionally stable Senegal out of its recent troubles and managing revenues from oil and gas reserves that are short to start production.
Voting will end at 1800 GMT and provisional results could be known overnight. The first official results are expected during the coming week.
Senegal has traditionally been considered a beacon of democracy and stability in the coup-hit region, where Russia is strengthening its influence.
