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President of the
Republic of Senegal
Président de la
République du Sénégal
Coat of arms of Senegal.svg
Coat of Arms of Senegal
Bassirou Diomaye Faye - 2024 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Bassirou Diomaye Faye

since 2 April 2024
Residence Palace of the Republic
Term length Five years,
renewable once
Constituting instrument Constitution of Senegal (2001)
Inaugural holder Léopold Sédar Senghor
Formation 6 September 1960; 64 years ago (1960-09-06)
Salary 9,278,556 West African CFA francs annually
Website presidence.sn


The President of Senegal (which is Président du Sénégal in French) is the country's head of state. This means they are the top leader of Senegal. They are chosen by the people in an election.

Since a special vote (called a referendum) in 2016, the president serves for five years. They can only be elected two times in a row. Senegal became independent from France in 1960. Since then, several leaders have held this important role.

Becoming President: The Election Process

Taking the Oath of Office

Before a new president can start their job, they must take a special promise called an oath. This promise is written in Senegal's Constitution. It shows their commitment to the country.

The president promises to serve the country faithfully. They also promise to follow the laws and protect Senegal's independence. A big part of the oath is also working for the unity of Africa.

Presidential Term Lengths

The length of time a president serves has changed a few times in Senegal's history.

In 1991, the presidential term was made longer, from five years to seven years.

Then, in 2001, during Abdoulaye Wade's first term, another special vote (a referendum) happened. This vote changed the term length back to five years.

However, in 2008, the National Assembly (which is like Senegal's parliament) voted to make the term seven years again. This change did not affect President Wade's term that was already happening.

Finally, in 2016, during Macky Sall's first term, another referendum took place. This vote changed the presidential term back to five years. This is the rule that is followed today.

Term Limits for Presidents

Currently, the Constitution of Senegal says that a president can only serve two terms. This means they can be elected president twice, but not more than that.

There was a discussion in 2012 when Abdoulaye Wade ran for president again. He was allowed to run, but he lost the election to Macky Sall.

Presidential Privileges

The Palace of the Republic

Palais présidentiel à Dakar - 2
The Palace of the Republic in Dakar, where the president lives and works.

The Palace of the Republic (known as Palais de la République in French) is where the president lives and works. It is located in Dakar, the capital city.

This beautiful building was first ordered to be built in 1902. It was meant to be the home for the Governor-General of French West Africa. The architect who designed it was Henri Deglane.

List of Senegal's Presidents

Here is a list of the people who have served as president of Senegal since it became an independent country.

Political parties

     Socialist Party of Senegal (PSS)      Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS)      Alliance for the Republic (APR)      African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF)

Symbols

Elected unopposed

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Elected Term of office Political party Prime minister(s)
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Senghor1981.jpg Léopold Sédar Senghor
(1906–2001)
1960
1963
1968
1973
1978
6 September 1960 31 December 1980 20 years, 116 days PSS Mamadou Dia
Abdou Diouf
2 Abdou Diouf.jpg Abdou Diouf
(born 1935)
1983
1988
1993
1 January 1981 1 April 2000 19 years, 91 days PSS Habib Thiam
Moustapha Niasse
Habib Thiam
Mamadou Lamine Loum
3 Abdoulaye Wade 2011.jpg Abdoulaye Wade
(born 1926)
2000
2007
1 April 2000 2 April 2012 12 years, 1 day PDS Moustapha Niasse
Mame Madior Boye
Idrissa Seck
Macky Sall
Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré
Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye
4 President Macky Sall of Senegal, speaking at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London, 20 January 2020 (cropped).jpg Macky Sall
(born 1961)
2012
2019
2 April 2012 2 April 2024 12 years APR Abdoul Mbaye
Aminata Touré
Mohamed Dionne
Amadou Ba
Sidiki Kaba
5 Bassirou Diomaye Faye - 2024 (cropped).jpg Bassirou Diomaye Faye
(born 1980)
2024 2 April 2024 Incumbent 1 year, 121 days PASTEF Sidiki Kaba
Ousmane Sonko

Timeline of Presidents

Bassirou Diomaye Faye Macky Sall Abdoulaye Wade Abdou Diouf Léopold Sédar Senghor

Latest Election Results

To learn more about how the current president was chosen, you can read about the 2024 Senegalese presidential election.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Presidente de Senegal para niños

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