INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS - VOTING SYSTEM OF ELECTED LOCAL ACT III DECENTRALIZATION

The ingredients of a postponement of local elections in 2014

Institutional reforms announced by the new government of President Macky Sall, including those relating to the voting of local officials and the application of Act 3 of decentralization, if they are not effective until September, may lead to a postponement of local elections in March 2014.
The commission institutional reforms has two months to complete stack work and finalize the reforms themselves. No later than September 2013, that is to say six of the date of local elections due in March 2014. After this time, the reform commission, headed by Prof. Amadou Mahtar Mbow, risk of entering the critical period. A time when we can no longer make institutional reforms aimed directly at local elections in 2014 the risk of postponing the elections. Providing expert advice on the issue, the President of the Regional Council Kafrine, Gaye says there is a law of ECOWAS, which states that "six months before an election date, it should not change rules of the game. " Although, he said, "a law is beneficial to people, six months before the elections, we should not change the rules of the game". At the rate the commission institutional reforms work and given the importance of certain reforms, including voting for local councilors and the application of the findings of Act 3 of decentralization, Gaye does not seem very optimistic that the government curling work here in September. Especially with regard to the reform of Act 3 of decentralization: "This is an important reform. I do not think that by September the government can make a good law in this sense, because everything messes "Babacar Gaye analysis. It bases its position on the fact that the conclusions of Act 3 of decentralization may impact on a regular elections. Because this reform would change the types of existing local communities. Which will have an effect on the current administrative division. Thus, he says: "If we present an application in the current electoral districts, one can introduce legislation. However, if the administrative districts are created after the time prescribed by the law in terms of filing the application or deposit of lists of candidates at this time, it will not be possible, because people will be forfeited. "To this s 'adds that it is necessary to define the types of regions, local authorities, the new decentralization policy, the new powers for local councilors. All this, he says, can impact on local elections. This may, in the opinion of Babacar Gaye, take time in thinking and it would not far elections. And he does not think that by September it can be done if they want to reform the size of the desire of the President Macky Sall. He concludes that this will impact on the time of the Constitution, ordinary laws, decrees and orders in local elections. Before inviting the government to consider this in the reflection that seems "important."Regarding also announced reform of the electoral system of local elected officials, there may be timing issues, which will ensure that the elections will not be held in time expired. According to Gaye, after passage of the law by the National Assembly and the end of the constitutional period, including referral to the Constitutional Court, the President of the Republic has eight days to enact the law. If it does, the law is promulgated by the President of the National Assembly. If the passage is late or excessive delays, it can have an impact on the date of the local elections. Because he informs, "as they say six months before the elections, five months before its applicability, the law must be promulgated. Because at the same time, certain formalities have already been made. "HAROUNA FALL