In what appears to be a show of determination on his governmental reforms, President Abdoulaye Wade announced that after the parliamentary elections, a number of 100 senate representatives would be nominated. Of the number, 65 would be nominated by the president while the other 35 would come from the different districts (departments).

A special fact about the senate is that a law has been passed last Thursday by the Senegalese National Assembly to the effect that the Senate President shall become the second man of the state.

This presupposes that in the event the president is absent or on holiday, the Senate President would take charge of state affairs. It is noteworthy that it the current function of the Senate President was that of the president of the National Assembly.

The creation of the new post of Senate President, four people are being speculated to take up the post. They are Karim Wade, President Wade’s son; Macky Sall, the current Prime Minister; Pape Diop, current President of the National Assembly and Aminata Tall, the so-called iron woman of the PDS regime and Mayor of Diourbel. Meanwhile Mamoune Niass also reportedly declared in a rally at kaolack that he is interested to lead the National Assembly