Youth Mobilization and Democracy in Senegal

When President Macky Sall took an authoritarian turn, young people mobilized once again to preserve Senegalese democracy. Youth political engagement has been influential in Senegal since the 1960s through a series of popular movements. More recently, hip-hop and digital activism became strong forces of opposition to the government’s democratic backsliding. The Senegalese diaspora participated in online networks and gave crucial backing to opposition candidates running on an anti-system, Pan-African platform. The outcome of the 2024 presidential election confirmed the power of youth-led pro-democracy movements in Senegal.