Archaeological findings throughout the area indicate that Senegal was inhabited in prehistoric times. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the area came under the influence of the great Mandingo empires to the east. The Jolof Empire of Senegal was founded during this time.
French commercial establishments date from the 17th century. During the 19th century, the French gradually established control over the interior regions and administered them as a protectorate until 1920 and as a colony thereafter. In 1946, a territorial assembly was elected by a restricted franchise and given advisory powers. These were gradually expanded, and the franchise broadened in succeeding years. After the 1958 French constitutional referendum, Senegal became a member of the French community with virtually complete internal autonomy.
In January 1959, Senegal and the French Soudan merged to form the Mali Federation, which became fully independent on June 20, 1960, as a result of the independence and transfer of power agreement signed with France on April 4, 1960. Due to internal political difficulties, the federation broke up on August 20, 1960; Senegal seceded and proclaimed itself the Republic of Senegal. Soudan became the Republic of Mali a month later. Leopold Sedar Senghor, internationally renowned poet, politician, and statesman, was elected Senegal's first president in August 1960.
After the breakup of the Mali Federation, President Senghor and Prime Minister Mamdou Dia governed together under a parliamentary system. In December 1962, their political rivalry led to an attempted coup by Prime Minister Dia. Although this was put down without bloodshed, Dia was arrested and imprisoned, and Senegal adopted a new constitution. Dia was released in 1974.
A 1970 constitutional amendment recreated the post of prime minister and declared the prime minister to be the official successor to the president in the event the president could not complete his term. These constitutional provisions became effective when President Senghor retired on January 1, 1981, and was replaced by his prime minister of 10 years, Abdou Diouf. President Diouf was elected to a second 5-year term on February 27, 1983. On his recommendation, the National Assembly subsequently abolished the post of prime minister.
Current Political Conditions
The 1963 constitution transformed Senegal's government into an executive-presidential system. The president is elected by universal adult suffrage to a 5-year term. The legislature consists of a unicameral National Assembly. Its 120 members are elected by universal adult suffrage during the presidential elections. The highest court in the independent judiciary is the presidentially appointed Supreme Court. For administrative purposes, Senegal is divided into 10 regions, each headed by a governor appointed by and responsible to the president.
Senegal's governing political party is the Socialist Party (name changed from Senegalese Progressive Union in 1976 after having joined the Socialist International), founded in 1949 by Senghor and now led by President Diouf. The Socialist Party advocates a moderate form of socialism based on traditional African concepts but leaves scope for private enterprise, including foreign investment.
The constitution, which previously restricted the number of political parties to four, was amended in 1981 to legitimize previously unrecognized parties. The number of parties now stands at 17, the majority of which participated in the February 1983 presidential and legislative elections. In these elections, the Socialist Party won 111 of the National Assembly's 120 seats, with the opposition split between Abdoulaye Wade's Parti Democratique Senegalais (8 seats) and Cheikh Anta Diop's Rassamblement National Democratique (1 seat). The last national elections were held February 28, 1988. President Diouf was reelected for another 5-year term. The Socialist Party retained 103 National Assembly seats, with PDS taking 17.
Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, July 1988.