Residents of Senegal greeted the dawn of a new era on Monday following the post-election departure of long-serving leader Abdoulaye Wade, who drew widespread praise for cementing the country's reputation as West Africa's most stable democracy.
Excited residents gathered at tea shops as boys hawked newspapers splashing headlines like 'Wade Knocked Out', after a night marked by fireworks, honking horns and singing in parts of the capital Dakar that followed his former protege Macky Sall's election win.
"This is a victory for all Senegalese people, not just the politicians," said Bassirou Sylla, 32, a trader in Dakar's upscale neighbourhood of Point E. The election was the latest test for democracy in a region plagued by bloodshed and flawed votes, including on in Ivory Coast that triggered a civil war last year. A military coup in Senegal's neighbour Mali last week demonstrated how quickly a democracy can unravel.
Wade's 12-year rule saw big infrastructure spending but little progress in tackling poverty, He admitted defeat just hours after polls closed on Sunday as early results showed challenger Sall with a landslide win, maintaining Senegal's record as the only nation on mainland West Africa not to have seen a coup or civil war since independence.
While hopes for a better future were running high in Dakar, where Wade faced the greatest opposition, it remains to be seen whether Sall, a former Wade ally who served for years as his prime minister, would bring real change. The United Nations, the European Union and the African Union congratulated Senegal on its smooth election, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy praised Wade for accepting his loss. "By accepting the choice of your countrymen, you have once again shown your dedication to democratic principles," Sarkozy told him in a letter.
Investors also welcomed the smooth transition of power with a rally in the price of Senegal's $500 million Eurobond, which had depreciated before the first round vote due to what analysts viewed as a deteriorating political and security climate. Wade, 85, began his career as president with an impeccable democratic reputation but drew criticism for seeking to extend his rule to a third term this year, setting off street protests in which six people were killed. Full results are expected later on Monday or Tuesday.