Leftwinger one of a group of opposition politicians freed from prison 10 days before presidential ballot

Bassirou Diomaye Faye, a leftwing pan-Africanist, has been sworn in as Senegal’s youngest president, pledging systemic change, greater sovereignty and calm after years of deadly turmoil.

The 44-year-old, who has never held an elected office, swept to a first-round victory on a promise of radical reform just 10 days after being released from prison.

Bassirou Diomaye Faye promises to overhaul democracy in west African country blighted by corruption

Just 10 days before being elected president of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye was in prison.

Years of political turmoil have left the west African state’s democracy teetering on the brink of collapse, with deadly uprisings and the jailing of opposition figurescommonplace.

Radical change candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye pulls off stunning election win after main rival Amadou Ba concedes defeat

Senegal’s anti-establishment candidate looks almost certain to become president after a stunning election victory that is likely to steer the west African country in a radical new direction.

A little over a week after his release from prison, Bassirou Diomaye Faye is almost certain to be declared the country’s next president after his main rival unexpectedly called him on Monday to concede defeat.

Country’s reputation as one of Africa’s model democracies under threat after weeks of violence

Senegal heads to the polls on Sunday after weeks of chaos, violence and uncertainty prompted fears that democracy had been fatally undermined in one of west Africa’s most stable countries.

Analysts say the presidential election is the most wide open in Senegal since it secured independence from France more than 60 years ago.

Student reportedly killed in the northern city of Saint-Louis while security forces and demonstrators clash in Dakar

Security forces and protesters have clashed in Senegal’s capital and other cities in the first widespread unrest over the delay to a presidential election that constitutes one of the country’s most significant political crises to date.

Riot police in Dakar fired teargas, stun grenades and what appeared to be rubber bullets at large crowds of protesters who set up roadblocks, burned tyres and threw stones.

Mobile internet access has also been restricted, as parliament begins debate on bill to extend Macky Sall’s presidency

Riot police fired teargas to break up crowds trying to gather outside Senegal’s national assembly on Monday to protest against the president’s abrupt postponement of elections over the weekend.

As protesters shouted slogans, parliament began debating a bill that would reschedule the 25 February vote for 25 August and extend Macky Sall’s mandate as president until his successor is installed.

Macky Sall cites dispute between national assembly and the constitutional court over rejection of candidates as reason for delay

Senegal’s president, Macky Sall, has announced the indefinite postponement of a presidential election scheduled for 25 February a few hours before official campaigning was due to start, provoking anger from opposition figures and a ministerial resignation.

In an address to the nation on Saturday, Sall said he had postponed the vote that would have decided his successor because of a dispute between the national assembly and constitutional court over the rejection of candidates.

Supporters say string of charges are intended to prevent Ousmane Sonko and his Pastef party challenging President Macky Sall

Senegal’s government has dissolved a major opposition party within hours of the party’s popular president and opposition leader saying a judge had ordered his arrest.

Ousmane Sonko, a charismatic opposition figure widely supported by Senegal’s youth, was in prison on Monday as he awaited trial on new criminal charges, said his party’s communications director, El Malick Ndiaye.