Landing Savané

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Landing Savané (born January 10, 1945^[1]) is a Senegalese politician and the secretary-general of And-Jëf/African Party for Democracy and Socialism.^[2]

Savané is from Casamance, in the south of Senegal;^[2] he was born in Bignona.^[3] He was a prominent figure in the radical student movement of the 1960s and a member of the underground communist African Independence Party (PAI). In 1965 Savané revolted against the PAI leadership and formed a separate Senegalese Communist Party. This split led to the dismantling of the Dakar cell of PAI. Savané's new party aligned with China. The Senegalese Communist Party did not last long, but Savané continued his political activity in other movements. Initially Savané and his followers regrouped as Democratic Youth. In 1970 Savané founded the Movement of Young Marxist-Leninists (MJML). After the dismantling of MJML, Savané formed the underground Marxist group Reenu-Rew (Roots of the Nation) in 1973. Reenu-Rew gave birth to And-Jëf (Act together) in 1974. Savané was jailed in 1975, but released in 1976. In 1981 And-Jëf was able to register itself as a legal political party. As the leader of And-Jëf, Savané was one of the most prominent opposition leaders in the country.^[4]

He unsuccessfully ran for president in 1988 and 1993,^[1][5] taking 0.25% of the vote (fourth place) in 1988 and 2.91% (third place) in 1993.^[5] Savané was a deputy in the National Assembly from 1993 to 2000.^[3] He supported Abdoulaye Wade in the 2000 presidential election,^[6] and after Wade's victory Savané was made minister of mines, crafts and industry in the new government in April 2000. In May 2001 he was removed from responsibility for mines, but remained minister of crafts and industry; in November 2002 he gained the rank of minister of state, while remaining in charge of crafts and industry.^[7] In May 2005, he was removed from his position as minister of state for crafts and industry and instead became minister of state near the president.^[7][8]

Savané ran again for president in the February 25, 2007 election, having been designated as his party's presidential candidate in November 2006.^[2] Despite running against Wade, the incumbent president, Savané retained his position as minister of state near the president following a cabinet reshuffle later in November.^[9] In early February 2007 Savané announced that he and his party would end their alliance with Wade regardless of who won the election.^[6] In the election, Savané took seventh place with 2.07% of the vote.^[10] He and the other AJ/PADS ministers resigned from the government on February 27.^[11]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Elu président du Sénégal, Landing Savané misera sur un taux de croissance à deux chiffres", African Press Agency, February 4, 2007 (French).
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Un allié de Me Wade candidat à la présidentielle de février 2007", African Press Agency, November 13, 2006 (French).
3. ^ ^{a b} Government page for Savané (French).
4. ^ Zuccarelli, François. La vie politique sénégalaise (1940-1988). Paris: CHEAM, 1988
5. ^ ^{a b} Elections in Senegal, African Elections Database.
6. ^ ^{a b} "Landing Savane to end his alliance with President Wade after the polls", African Press Agency, February 7, 2007.
7. ^ ^{a b} Madior Fall, "LANDING SAVANE : Pour un « folli » alternatif", Seneweb.com, February 6, 2007 (French).
8. ^ "Sénégal : léger remaniement du gouvernement", Xinhua, May 20, 2005 (French).
9. ^ "New Senegalese cabinet following Thursday’s reshuffle", African Press Agency, November 24, 2006.
10. ^ "Le texte intégral de la décision du Conseil constitutionnel", Agence de Presse Sénégalaise (Seneweb.com), March 11, 2007 (French).
11. ^ "Landing Savané et ses ministres démissionnent du gouvernement", Nettali (Seneweb.com), February 27, 2007 (French).