In Cape Verde, where around 2,131 Senegalese vote, the legislative elections on November 17 did not mobilize the crowds. In Praia, only 25% of voters had voted at 3 p.m. GMT, far from the crowds observed during the last presidential election.
This Sunday, November 17, Senegalese nationals established in Cape Verde, like their compatriots in the diaspora spread across 50 countries, were called to vote to renew the 165 seats in the National Assembly, 15 of which are reserved for the diaspora. Senegalese living abroad, numbering more than 337,000 out of a total of 7.3 million voters, are grouped into eight departments for this election.
In Praia, the Cape Verdean capital where the largest voting center is located with two offices, the atmosphere was calm. At polling station number 1 where 556 people out of a total of 1,113 Senegalese must vote in Praia, the members seemed little concerned by the lack of crowds, having lunch around a bowl of fish rice.
« There is no crowd », Notes Idrissa Thioune, president of polling station 1. At 3 p.m. GMT, he explains that only 155 voters, or around 25% of those registered, had voted. “ Compared to the last presidential election, the participation rate is very low », he adds.
For him, this disaffection can be explained by several factors. ” LLegislative elections always mobilize less than presidential elections. But here, in Cape Verde, it is mainly because many Senegalese who voted in the presidential election left for other destinations. “, he argues.
An observation shared by his assessor according to whom, “ Cape Verde is a transit zone for many of our compatriots. They settle there temporarily to save a little money before continuing their journey. »
After a short break for lunch, voting operations resume. But the absence of a queue and the ambient calm testify to the lack of appeal of this election on the island of Santiago where the capital is located…
AC/SF/APA
