Senegal parliament delays election until December after opposition lawmakers are blocked from voting

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegal's parliament voted Monday to delay the West African nation's presidential election until December 15 in a chaotic voting process that took place after opposition lawmakers were forcefully removed from the chambers as they debated President Macky Sall's earlier decision to delay the crucial election.

Security forces stormed the legislative building and forcefully removed several opposition lawmakers who were trying to block the voting process on the unprecedented delay of the presidential election initially scheduled for February 25.

The adopted bill extends Sall's tenure — which was due to end on April 2 — until a new election.

Authorities on Monday restricted mobile Internet access amid growing protests by opposition supporters against the delay.

As the lawmakers debated the bill, security forces fired tear gas at protesters gathered outside the legislative building. Many of the protesters were arrested as they poured into the streets of the capital, Dakar, burning tires and criticising the country's leader.

On Monday, two opposition parties filed a court petition challenging the election delay.

It was not clear what would become of their request for Senegal's Constitutional Council to direct “the continuation of the electoral process.”

Analysts say the crisis in Senegal is putting one of Africa's most stable democracies to the test at a time when the region is struggling with a recent surge in coups.

Sall — who in July said he would not seek a third term in office — had cited an electoral dispute between the parliament and the judiciary regarding the candidacies as reason for the postponement but opposition leaders and candidates rejected the move, calling it a “coup.”

The African Union urged the government to organise the election “as soon as possible” and called on everyone involved “to resolve any political dispute through consultation, understanding and civilised dialogue.”

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