Presidential election and the rule of law

This weekend's presidential elections, scented with teargas, a delicate dance between the mob and self-determination, give real meaning to the rule of law--or its lack. At this juncture in the history of Senegal, here is the latest ranking of the county by the Rule of Law Index prepared by the World Justice Project:

"Within its income group, Senegal is in the middle of the rankings in most dimensions. Government accountability is weak, with particular concerns regarding the proper functioning of checks and balances on the executive branch (ranking 51st among the 66 countries in the sample and 11th out of 16 lower-middle income countries). Another area where efforts are required is open government, where the country ranks 62nd. The country has a moderate record in protecting fundamental rights (ranking 38th overall and 3rd among the Indexed countries in Sub-Saharan Africa), although police abuses and harsh treatment of prisoners remain a source of concern."

This is not the last word on Senegal's democracy, nor will be the elections this weekend. We will see how it plays out.