President of Senegal Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Senegal Président de la République du Sénégal
Coat of Arms of Senegal
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
Presidential Term Lengths
Term Limits for Presidents
Presidential Privileges
- The Palace of the Republic
List of Senegal's Presidents
Timeline of Presidents
Latest Election Results
See also

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

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)
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party	Prime minister(s)
1		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 (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 (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		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 (born 1980)	2024	2 April 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 141 days	PASTEF	Sidiki Kaba Ousmane Sonko