Senegal, with a ticking economy, is seen as a stable, safe country — no small feat in western Africa, where coups, crises and insurgencies abound. But then the president, Macky Sall, blew up any chance of a mundane election. He went on state television and canceled the vote, alleging corruption in the way candidates were approved by constitutional court. And then, in a dramatic move, he released the leading opposition candidate and the leader of the opposition party from prison. Then there are 17 other candidates, among them former mayors and prime ministers.

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Persons: Macky, Sall backtracked, Amadou Ba, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, He’s, Ousmane Sonko Locations: Senegal, Africa