Photo Credit: CIEE
Senegal
Senegal is regarded as one of the most successful post-colonial democratic experiments in Africa. The West African country of 13 million people has never suffered a military takeover of power. In 1980, Senegal’s first President, Leopold Senghor, set a precedent for the country’s future leaders after he voluntarily relinquished power and retired from public life.
The Senegal constitution describes the country as a republic with a president. The president is elected for a five-year term and is eligible for re-election. In 2008, Senegal ranked 12th on the Mo Ibrahim Index of African governance.
