'We are finally free' Hopes high after poll landslide

Just 10 days before being elected president of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye was in prison. Years of political turmoil have left the west African state's democracy on the brink of collapse, with deadly uprisings and the jailing of opposition figures commonplace.

- Annika Hammerschlag

But Faye's victory, secured in the first round of voting, has left the population, particularly its youth, feeling energised by his promise of radical change.

"I feel free. We are finally free. Senegal is free," said Elhadji Thiam, 27, a merchant and staunch supporter of the Patriots of Senegal (Pastef), Faye's anti-establishment party, which was banned in July.

Faye, a former tax inspector, pitched himself as a pan-Africanist intent on steering Senegal towards economic sovereignty and away from French colonial relics. He has also pledged to overhaul the government, weed out corruption and increase transparency.

At 44, Faye is seen by Senegal's youth as a relatable figure whose values have been informed by a traditional village upbringing and a devotion to Islam.

His main rival, the governing coalition's Amadou Ba, conceded defeat after failing to woo voters on a promise of continuing the status quo. It was the first time since Senegal's independence from France in 1960 that an opposition candidate won in the presidential election's first round.