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- <text id=93CT1846>
- <title>
- Senegal--History
- </title>
- <history>
- Compact ALMANAC--CIA Factbook
- Northern Africa
- Senegal
- </history>
- <article>
- <source>CIA World Factbook</source>
- <hdr>
- History
- </hdr>
- <body>
- <p> 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.
- </p>
- <p> 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.
- </p>
- <p> 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.
- </p>
- <p> 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.
- </p>
- <p> 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.
- </p>
- <p>Current Political Conditions
- </p>
- <p> 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.
- </p>
- <p> 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.
- </p>
- <p> 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.
- </p>
- <p>Source: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, July
- 1988.
- </p>
-
- </body>
- </article>
- </text>
-
-