On Monday, Senegal's parliament voted to reschedule the postponed presidential election for December 15 amidst public outcry.

The decision came after President Macky Sall's unexpected announcement of a postponement on Saturday, plunging the West African nation into constitutional uncertainty and potentially tarnishing its reputation as a beacon of democratic stability in a region marred by coups.

Protests erupted outside parliament as lawmakers deliberated on the bill, which initially proposed moving the February 25 vote to August 25 and extending Sall's tenure until his successor's inauguration. Riot police deployed tear gas to disperse the demonstrators.

Eventually, just before the final vote, the bill was amended to set the election date even later, to December 15, and passed by 105 out of 165 MPs in the Assembly.

This last-minute change is expected to provoke further opposition resistance and may trigger violent protests similar to those seen in recent years, partly fueled by allegations of Sall's authoritarian tendencies.

The parliamentary proceedings were briefly disrupted when a group of opposition members stormed the central dais, obstructing parliamentary business. Security forces intervened to remove them, allowing the vote to proceed after a delay of over two hours.