Khalifa Sall launches new political vision for Senegal at taxawu congrès

Taxawu Sénégal held its founding Congress in Dakar on Sunday, May 10, marking its official transition from a political platform to a structured party. The event, themed «From Platform to Political Party: Rethinking the Social Contract for a Sovereign, Just, Solidary, and Prosperous Senegal,» brought together militants, leaders, and supporters to endorse a new strategic direction for the movement.

At the close of proceedings, Khalifa Ababacar Sall was unanimously acclaimed as the party’s leader in an atmosphere of enthusiasm and militant commitment. In a speech blending critique and vision, the new Taxawu Sénégal president delivered a sharp assessment of the national situation, highlighting «profound concerns» and «real difficulties faced daily by compatriots.» «In our cities and villages, neighborhoods and hamlets, one truth stands clear: Senegalese men and women feel—and I would say, are certain—that promises of social justice, prosperity, and transparency remain unfulfilled,» Khalifa Sall declared to the congress.

The socialist leader painted a picture of a nation grappling with multifaceted social crises: teachers seeking recognition, students protesting harsh study conditions, workers demanding better terms, and farmers, fishermen, and women facing increasingly precarious economic realities. «Our farmers are in total disarray,» he emphasized, while warning of the «progressive depletion of fisheries» threatening Senegal’s maritime economy. He also underscored the plight of youth, marked by mass unemployment and a resurgence of clandestine migration.

«When a generation falters, the entire nation trembles. A future without momentum begins with a directionless youth,» he asserted, adding a striking line: «We have plenty of young people seeking work; what we lack are opportunities for those who find it.» In response, Taxawu Sénégal pledges a new political offering centered on a «reimagined social contract.» For Khalifa Sall, this renewal starts with «an impartial state, frugal in its operations yet exemplary in its governance,» alongside improved access to education, healthcare, employment, and social protection.

The party champions stronger decentralization built on «autonomous, responsible local governments,» transparent budgets, and participatory governance models. Institutionally, it advocates for an independent judiciary, denouncing any form of «selective justice» or restrictions on public freedoms. «A democracy without a viable opposition is simply an unrecognized autocracy,» he declared, defending freedom of expression, press freedom, and political pluralism.

Addressing international geopolitical and economic challenges, Khalifa Sall called for a Senegalese diplomacy rooted in «peace, multilateralism, African solidarity, and economic sovereignty,» amid a global landscape of conflict, geopolitical tensions, and economic crises.

Outlining the party’s ideological foundations, he reaffirmed Taxawu Sénégal’s socialist identity. «We are socialists. We cannot accept a model where inequalities reproduce across generations,» he stated. The party’s societal project rests on a «structuring triad»: «Humanity, Water, and Land,» aiming to foster a «productive and distributive economy» that creates wealth and ensures equitable sharing of growth.

Concluding with a solemn appeal to socialist militants, Khalifa Sall urged left-leaning groups to unite around a credible alternative to the country’s pressing challenges. «Senegal needs a united opposition. Unity is our strength—and our path to victory,» he concluded to thunderous applause.