And-Jëf/African Party for Democracy and Socialism

The And-Jëf/African Party for Democracy and Socialism ("And-Jëf/Parti Africain pour la démocratie et le socialisme") is a socialist political party in Senegal led by Landing Savané.

And-Jëf/PADS was founded in 1991, through the merger of And-Jëf / Revolutionary Movement for New Democracy, Socialist Workers Organisation, Union for People's Democracy and circle of readers of Suxuba. Savané ran as the party's presidential candidate in the 1993 election, taking 2.91% of the vote. [http://africanelections.tripod.com/sn.html Elections in Senegal] , African Elections Database.] AJ/PADS was the only major opposition group to consistently refuse to participate in the government under President Abdou Diouf and the Socialist Party (PS). ["Political Parties of the World" (6th edition, 2005), ed. Bogdan Szajkowski, page 511.] At its February 1998 congress, it considered but decided against joining the Socialist International. [Badara Ndiaye, [http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article430 "Senegal: From alternation to the need for an alternative"] , IV Online magazine : IV341 - June 2002.] In March 1999, AJ/PADS and two other left-wing parties, the Party of Independence and Labor (PIT) and the Democratic League/Movement for the Labour Party (LD/MPT), agreed to support the candidacy of opposition leader Abdoulaye Wade of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) in the 2000 presidential election. ["Senegal: Left opposition parties rally behind single presidential candidate", Africa No 1 radio (nl.newsbank.com), March 23, 1999.] After Wade's victory, the party gained a presence in the government, which it maintained until 2007. [http://www.seneweb.com/news/elections2007/article.php?artid=8871 "Landing Savané et ses ministres démissionnent du gouvernement"] , Nettali (Seneweb.com), February 27, 2007 fr icon.]

In the parliamentary election held on 29 April 2001, AJ/PADS won 4.05% of the popular vote and 2 out of 120 seats in the National Assembly.

Savané ran as the party's candidate again in the February 2007 presidential election, and he said that the party's alliance with Wade would end after the election regardless of the winner. [http://apanews.net/spip.php?page=show_article_eng&id_article=20635 "Landing Savane to end his alliance with President Wade after the polls"] , African Press Agency, February 7, 2007.] In the election, Savané took seventh place with 2.07% of the vote. [http://www.seneweb.com/news/elections2007/article.php?artid=9107 "Le texte intégral de la décision du Conseil constitutionnel"] , Agence de Presse Sénégalaise (Seneweb.com), March 11, 2007 fr icon.] Shortly after the election, the AJ/PADS ministers resigned from the government. On 5 April, it was announced that the party, as part of the coalition "And Defaar Sénégal", would contest the June 2007 parliamentary election, despite a boycott of the election by many other opposition parties. Party spokesman Madièye Mbodj said that boycotting was "not an efficient means to meet a political demand". [ [http://apanews.net/spip.php?page=show_article_eng&id_article=25041 "Party coalition unveils bid for parliamentary polls in Senegal"] , African Press Agency, April 5, 2007.] The coalition won three seats, including one for Savané. [http://www.seneweb.com/news/article/10765.php "Le Conseil constitutionnel confirme définitivement la large victoire de la Coalition Sopi"] , "Le Soleil" (Seneweb.com), June 15, 2007 fr icon.] In the August 2007 election to the Senate, AJ/PADS won one seat, from Vélingara Department, out of 35 elected seats; Wade's PDS won all of the other seats. [ [http://www.jeuneafrique.com/pays/senegal/article_depeche.asp?art_cle=AFP05157lepousuvruo0 "Le pouvoir remporte 34 des 35 sièges de sénateurs pourvus"] , AFP (Jeuneafrique.com), August 20, 2007 fr icon.]

As of mid-2007, there is said to be a serious dispute within the party between "reformist" and "communist" factions, with the latter group, which includes Madièye Mbodj, criticizing the former, which includes Savané, for their cooperation with Wade and alleged abandonment of communist ideas for the sake of self-interest. [ [http://www.seneweb.com/news/article/11870.php "Landing Savané conteste : Les dessous de la crise à And Jëf"] , WalFadjri (Seneweb.com), August 22, 2007.]

References

External links

* [http://www.ajpads.org/ Official web site]