Senegal has long been regarded by many observers as a democratic example in Africa. Despite the country being led by one political party - the Socialist Party - since independence, transfers of power have generally taken place in a relatively peaceful fashion.
However, the country's democratic credentials started to be questioned by the mid to late 1990s when former president, Abdou Diouf, began to feel the socio-political effects of structural adjustment implementation. By the turn of the century, Abdou Diouf's reign had become untenable, mainly as a result of increased poverty, unemployment, and an ailing education system.
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