Senegal heads to polls - FT.com Millions of Senegalese will vote in a contentious presidential election on Sunday with 86-year-old incumbent Abdoulaye Wade seeking another seven years in power. Weeks of protests have soured the run-up to the poll, with opposition leaders accusing Mr Wade of carrying out a "constitutional coup" after judges cleared him to seek a third term despite there being a two-term limit. At least six people have been killed in pre-election violence and dozens more injured, soiling Senegal's reputation as one of the most stable and democratic countries in West Africa. Mr Wade, who may even be older than his official age, has been dismissive of the protests, calling them "a light breeze." But opposition to his rule, which has increased sharply in recent years and is greatest among the urban youth, means he is unlikely to gain the 50 per cent majority needed to win in the first round. Mr Wade faces 13 other candidates, all aligned with the M23 opposition coalition. The strongest challenge is expected to come from two former prime ministers under Mr Wade - Idrissa Seck, 51, and Macky Sall, 50 - and the socialist party candidate Ousmane Tanor Dieng, 63. The tense atmosphere in recent weeks has been heightened by the arrest of political opponents and activists as well as the constitutional court's decision to bar music star Youssor N'Dour from contesting the election, and has caused concern beyond Senegal's borders. Both France, the former colonial master and key trade partner, and the US, have criticised Mr Wade for standing in the poll. In a show of regional concern, former Nigerian president Olesegun Obasanjo flew to Dakar last week on behalf of the Ecowas bloc and the African Union to try and calm tensions. On Saturday he proposed that Mr Wade agree to serve for only two years should he win the vote. Mr Wade was elected president in 2000 after more than 25 years in opposition, successfully campaigning as an agent of change and winning the support of young voters. His record since then is mixed. Infrastructure has improved, especially roads, and some statistics suggest the health sector has too. But corruption, nepotism and wasteful expenditure has increased, his opponents say. More than half the population still lives in poverty, and unemployment, especially among the youth, is rising. The perception that Mr Wade has tried to groom his son Karim as a successor has hurt his standing. Signs of discontent have become increasingly evident over the past two years, with violent protests in the capital Dakar over power outages and high food prices, and the emergence the "Y'en a marre" ("Fed up") civic movement. Though Mr Wade insists that age is a "European preoccupation," his critics say it is a valid issue in this campaign, arguing that he has little to offer a country with a mostly young population. Around 44 per cent of the 12 million Senegalese are under the age of 15, according the Population Reference Bureau, with just two per cent over 65. If Mr Wade does win a third term, he could stay in office well into his nineties. Many believe he should not even be in the race. In 2001, the constitution was changed, limiting the president to two five-year terms. But in the lead up to this election Mr Wade argued that the limits only applied from when his first term ended in 2007. In late January, to widespread consternation in Senegal, the constitutional court agreed. Mr Wade says he needs another seven years - the old, longer term was reintroduced in 2008 - to finish his work. Marie Gibert, a West Africa expert at Nottingham Trent University, said it was not that simple. "I don't want to draw too much comparison with Laurent Gbabgo [the former Ivorian leader], but Mr Wade has the same feeling of entitlement," said. He was in opposition for so long that when he took power he felt he could stay for as long as he wants to. It appears his intention is to die in office. If required, the presidential run-off will occur in mid-March.