Idrissa Seck
Encyclopedia
Idrissa Seck is a Senegal
ese politician who was Prime Minister of Senegal
from November 2002 to April 2004. He was a leading member of the Senegalese Democratic Party
(PDS) and was considered a protégé of President Abdoulaye Wade
, but he subsequently went into opposition and was a candidate in the February 2007 presidential election
, taking second place with about 15% of the vote.
and studied in Paris
as well as at Princeton University
. He joined the PDS when he was 15 years old and was Wade's campaign director in the February 1988 presidential election.
Seck served as Minister of Trade, Crafts, and Industrialization when the PDS participated in the government from March 1995 to March 1998. He became deputy leader of the PDS in 1998, replacing Ousmane Ngom
. After Wade took office in April 2000, he appointed Seck as Minister of State and Director of the Cabinet. The PDS was restructured after this election; Seck's position of Executive Secretary was eliminated and he instead became Deputy National Secretary. He also became Mayor of Thiès.
Seck was appointed as Prime Minister by Wade on November 4, 2002, replacing Mame Madior Boye
; this was the first time that Wade had appointed a Prime Minister from the PDS since he took office as President. Seck served as Prime Minister until April 21, 2004, when he was dismissed by Wade.
President Wade felt that Seck betrayed him. Seck was detained in July 2005 for alleged corruption in connection with a road project in Thiès, and he was additionally charged with threatening state security. In a decision made on August 4 and announced on August 6, he was expelled from the PDS by its steering committee, along with three of his supporters: Papa Diouf, Awa Gueye Kebe, and Oumar Sarr. He never faced trial; on January 27, 2006, the charge of threatening state security was dismissed, and in early February the corruption charges were also partially dismissed and he was released from prison. On April 4, 2006, he announced his intention to run for President in 2007.
On September 24, 2006, Seck announced the formation of a new party, Rewmi (Wolof
for "the country"). On January 22, 2007, Wade said that Seck had agreed to return to the PDS. Seck confirmed this on February 1, but said that he would still run for President.
According to final results released after the presidential election, which was held on February 25, 2007, Seck took second place with 14.92% of the vote, falling far behind Wade, who won a majority in the first round. He won one of the country's 34 departments
, that of Thiès
. Following the election, Wade announced that several opposition leaders would face prosecution for corruption, including Seck. Wade said that Seck had stolen 40 billion CFA franc
s and deposited the money abroad; he also said that Seck would not be his successor. Subsequently, after the final results were released on March 11, Seck congratulated Wade on his victory; he was the only major opposition leader to do so.
Seck's Rewmi party participated in a boycott of the June 2007 parliamentary election
, announced in early April. Seck said that Wade had broken off dialogue with the opposition and that it would reconsider the boycott if he engaged in dialogue.
After the election, a rapprochement between Wade and Seck and their respective parties began, and Seck sought to return to the PDS. On August 13, 2007, Wade said that the PDS steering committee would have to decide whether or not to readmit Seck and his supporters into the party. Seck and Wade met for several hours on January 12, 2009, and afterwards Seck announced that the two had resolved their "misunderstandings" and had reconciled.
Following the March 2009 local election in Thiès, Seck was again elected as Mayor of Thiès on April 21, 2009. He received 64 out of 69 votes from the municipal councillors.
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese politician who was Prime Minister of Senegal
Prime Minister of Senegal
The Prime Minister of Senegal is the head of government of Senegal. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Senegal, who is directly elected for a five year term. The Prime Minister, in turn, appoints the Senegalese cabinet, after consultation with the President.This is a list of the...
from November 2002 to April 2004. He was a leading member of the Senegalese Democratic Party
Senegalese Democratic Party
The Senegalese Democratic Party is a political party in Senegal. The party considers itself a liberal party and is a member of the Liberal International. Abdoulaye Wade, Senegal's president, is the party's leader...
(PDS) and was considered a protégé of President Abdoulaye Wade
Abdoulaye Wade
Abdoulaye Wade is the third and current President of Senegal, in office since 2000. He is also the Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Party and has led the party since it was founded in 1974...
, but he subsequently went into opposition and was a candidate in the February 2007 presidential election
Senegalese presidential election, 2007
A presidential election was held in Senegal on 25 February 2007. The incumbent president, Abdoulaye Wade, who was first elected in 2000, won the election in the first round with almost 56% of the vote.-Date of the election:...
, taking second place with about 15% of the vote.
Biography
He was born in ThièsThiès
Thiès is the third largest city in Senegal with a population officially estimated at 320,000 in 2005. It lies 60 km east of Dakar on the N2 road and at the junction of railway lines to Dakar, Bamako and St-Louis...
and studied in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
as well as at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. He joined the PDS when he was 15 years old and was Wade's campaign director in the February 1988 presidential election.
Seck served as Minister of Trade, Crafts, and Industrialization when the PDS participated in the government from March 1995 to March 1998. He became deputy leader of the PDS in 1998, replacing Ousmane Ngom
Ousmane Ngom
Ousmane Alioune Ngom is a Senegalese politician, serving in the government of Senegal as Minister of State for the Interior since September 2010. As a leading member of the Senegalese Democratic Party , Ngom served as a minister in national unity governments from 1991 to 1992 and from 1995 to 1998...
. After Wade took office in April 2000, he appointed Seck as Minister of State and Director of the Cabinet. The PDS was restructured after this election; Seck's position of Executive Secretary was eliminated and he instead became Deputy National Secretary. He also became Mayor of Thiès.
Seck was appointed as Prime Minister by Wade on November 4, 2002, replacing Mame Madior Boye
Mame Madior Boye
Mame Madior Boye was Prime Minister of Senegal from 2001 to 2002. She was the first and so far only female holder of that position.Boye was born in Saint-Louis...
; this was the first time that Wade had appointed a Prime Minister from the PDS since he took office as President. Seck served as Prime Minister until April 21, 2004, when he was dismissed by Wade.
President Wade felt that Seck betrayed him. Seck was detained in July 2005 for alleged corruption in connection with a road project in Thiès, and he was additionally charged with threatening state security. In a decision made on August 4 and announced on August 6, he was expelled from the PDS by its steering committee, along with three of his supporters: Papa Diouf, Awa Gueye Kebe, and Oumar Sarr. He never faced trial; on January 27, 2006, the charge of threatening state security was dismissed, and in early February the corruption charges were also partially dismissed and he was released from prison. On April 4, 2006, he announced his intention to run for President in 2007.
On September 24, 2006, Seck announced the formation of a new party, Rewmi (Wolof
Wolof language
Wolof is a language spoken in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania, and is the native language of the Wolof people. Like the neighbouring languages Serer and Fula, it belongs to the Atlantic branch of the Niger–Congo language family...
for "the country"). On January 22, 2007, Wade said that Seck had agreed to return to the PDS. Seck confirmed this on February 1, but said that he would still run for President.
According to final results released after the presidential election, which was held on February 25, 2007, Seck took second place with 14.92% of the vote, falling far behind Wade, who won a majority in the first round. He won one of the country's 34 departments
Departments of Senegal
The 14 Regions of Senegal are subdivided into 45 departments and 103 arrondissements and by collectivités locales which elect administrative officers.In 2006, the new department of Koungheul was created as a division of Kaolack Department...
, that of Thiès
Thiès Department
' is one of the departments of Senegal, located in the Thiès Region....
. Following the election, Wade announced that several opposition leaders would face prosecution for corruption, including Seck. Wade said that Seck had stolen 40 billion CFA franc
CFA franc
The CFA franc is the name of two currencies used in Africa which are guaranteed by the French treasury. The two CFA franc currencies are the West African CFA franc and the Central African CFA franc...
s and deposited the money abroad; he also said that Seck would not be his successor. Subsequently, after the final results were released on March 11, Seck congratulated Wade on his victory; he was the only major opposition leader to do so.
Seck's Rewmi party participated in a boycott of the June 2007 parliamentary election
Senegalese parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections were held in Senegal on 3 June 2007. They had originally been planned to be held together with the presidential election on 25 February 2007, but were postponed. 14 parties or coalitions participated in the election, in which the composition of the National Assembly, with...
, announced in early April. Seck said that Wade had broken off dialogue with the opposition and that it would reconsider the boycott if he engaged in dialogue.
After the election, a rapprochement between Wade and Seck and their respective parties began, and Seck sought to return to the PDS. On August 13, 2007, Wade said that the PDS steering committee would have to decide whether or not to readmit Seck and his supporters into the party. Seck and Wade met for several hours on January 12, 2009, and afterwards Seck announced that the two had resolved their "misunderstandings" and had reconciled.
Following the March 2009 local election in Thiès, Seck was again elected as Mayor of Thiès on April 21, 2009. He received 64 out of 69 votes from the municipal councillors.