Senegal heads to the polls amid fiscal crisis, threat of unrest

Senegal will vote in legislative elections on Sunday that will determine whether the new president and government can gain control over the national assembly and push through their agenda for reforms.

The high stakes in the election are threatening to spark renewed unrest following a period of calm. The run-up to the presidential election in March saw some of the worst violence in the country’s recent history.

Campaigning has grown heated in recent days and comes at a precarious time for the new government, which is navigating a spiralling fiscal crisis that could undermine its ability to deliver on promises to boost the economy and create jobs.

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, known for his fiery rhetoric, said this week that his supporters had come under attack and urged them to take revenge. He has also warned that restraint should not be mistaken for weakness.

“Let them not say that we’ve