Senegal approves shaving 2 years off presidential term

DAKAR, Senegal – An election official says voters in Senegal have approved constitutional reforms including a reduction of the presidential term from seven to five years.

Demba Kandji said Wednesday that provisional results show the referendum passed with 62.7 percent of the vote. He said turnout was 38 percent of the country's more than 5 million eligible voters.

President Macky Sall, who was voted into office in 2012, announced plans to revise the presidential term in March 2015, saying he wanted to set an example for other African countries. In February, however, the Constitutional Court rejected his proposal to shorten his current term, saying the referendum would determine changes for future terms.

Sunday's vote also concerned measures to provide greater rights for the opposition and boost participation of independent candidates in elections.