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Senegal panel recommends delayed polls be kept in June to end crisis

Senegal's nationwide discussion commission will propose a delayed governmental election be held on June 2 and recommend President Macky Sall stay in office till his successor is sworn in, commission member Ndiawar Paye stated on Tuesday.

The West African country, set to become an oil and gas manufacturer by the end of the year, has been thrown into an unprecedented political crisis after Sall delayed the election initially set up for Feb. 25.

The date proposal follows two days of discussion organised by Sall as a way to ease stress. His and parliament's failed quote to delay the Feb. 25 poll by 10 months triggered discontent and cautions of democratic backsliding in one of coup-hit West Africa's more steady democracies.

The recommendation will be sent out to Sall who will make the decision, Paye told .

Speaking by phone, he said it was not understood if Sall would accept the recommendation, however his choice could begin Tuesday or Wednesday.

The talks in the capital Dakar were boycotted by much of the opposition some of whom want the vote to be held before Sall's. mandate ends on April 2.

Paye stated the commission concurred that early June was the most. feasible time for the vote. The month of May has a variety of. religious celebrations, so the elections might not be held then,. he stated.

It was not immediately clear how the opposition will respond. to the proposed date. Its effective legal difficulty of the. initial postponement led the top constitutional authority to. rule the delay illegal and ask Sall to discover a new date as soon. as possible.

(source: Reuters)