Main presidential candidates

Following are the main candidates for Senegal's presidential elections on Sunday 27 February. Abdou Diouf: the 65-year-old incumbent is seeking his fourth presidential term. He has served 10 years as prime minister and 20 years as president. In elections on 27 February 1983 he won 83.45 percent of the votes. He first took over the reigns of power from President Sedar Senghor in 1981. Diouf's entry into politics followed an unconventional route through the civil service which he entered in 1960 after graduating from the National School of Overseas France, aged 25. Djibo Ka: leader of the Union pour le renouveau democreatique (URD), describes himself as a republican. A former prominent member of the PS, he is running against his former party leader. Under the PS government, Ka held the portfolios in education, planning, interior and foreign affairs. In the campaigning, Ka challenged the PS in one of its strongholds, the Fouta region (Djolof or Fouladou). In 1998, Ka's URD made a big impact in its first foray into the political scene. Ka speaks of democratic renewal - a new approach to politics - and a new vision for Senegal involving transparency, eradication of unemployment, the alleviation of poverty and the fight against corruption. Ka also promises a different policy on agriculture, industry and diplomacy, mining. Abdoulaye Wade: the 74-year-old founder and current secretary-general of the Parti democratique senegalais (PDS) is the longest standing politician among the presidential aspirants. He is considered President Abdou Diouf's strongest opponent in the presidential race. He declined Diouf's offer of the vice-presidency in 1992, preferring to stand in the 1993 presidential elections, against Diouf, on the PDS ticket. However, Wade served as a senior minister for the president from March 1995 to March 1998. An economist and lawyer by training, Wade is currently vice-president of the Internationale Liberale, in London; president of the Coordination Panafricaine des Intellectuels, President of the Permanent Pan-African Conference on Democracy and Transition in Africa. Moustapha Niasse: aide to Senegal's first president, Sedar Senghor, from 1960-81 and later Diouf. This former foreign minister, under Diouf, announced his presidential candidature in June 1999. He has denounced what he says is rampant embezzlement, Mafia-type control of the economy, threats to democracy and the "inheritance of power. Niasse was expelled from the PS of which he was a long-standing prominent member. This businessman now leads the Alliance des forces de progres (AFP). He promises to make Senegal function as a republic and a secular state and not like a one-man ruled African kingdom. He also says he will fight corruption to attract investors and give vocational training to the youth, who should be able to find employment in new investments. Iba Der Thiam: a former minister of education in the Parti Socialiste government, this history professor broke off to form the CDP/Garab-Gi. This two-time presidential candidate has campaign partly on religion affairs and a number of proposals to fight poverty. PARTIES: Parti Democratique Senegalese (PDS): Leader Abdoulaye Wade. He leads a coalition of eight other political parties, mostly to the left, which have grouped under Coalition Alternance 2000 (see next paragraph), one of the two blocks challenging Diouf in the elections due 27 September. The Coalition Alternance 2000: Parti Democratique Senegalais (PDS) Parti de l'Independence et du Travail (PIT) Ligue Democratique/Mouvement pour le Parti du Travail (LD?MPT) AND JEF/Parti Africain pour la Democratie et le Socialisme (AJ/PADS) Mouvement pour le Socialisme et l'Unite (MSU) Union Democratique pour le Federalisme (UDF/Mboloomi) Action pour le Developpement National (ADN) Union des Patriotes Senegalais (UPAS) Far Yoon Wi Union de Renouveau Democratique (URD): Leader: Djibo Ka. His platform in this elections is to reduce, significantly and progressively, the 40 percent unemployment rate; improve public security against crime, aim at food self sufficiency, revitalise industry through modernisation, improve social services especially in urban transport and housing, press for constitutional balance which will limit the presidential mandate to a maximum of two five-year terms. Parti Socialiste: Leader: Abdou Diouf. This party has ruled since independence in 1960. Its forerunner was the Bloc democratique Senegalese formed 10 November 1948 by Sedar Senghor. Presidential candidate Moustapha Niasse, Djibo Ka were former prominent members of the PS. Electoral Information: Total number of registered voters: 2.62 million Polling stations: 8442 Regions: 10. Region with the highest number of registered voters: Thies (385,236).