THE Patriots of Senegal party (Pastef) secured a resounding victory in the country’s legislative elections, winning 130 of 165 seats, according to provisional results announced on Thursday.

The win provides newly elected President Bassirou Diomaye Faye with a mandate to carry out reforms promised during his campaign, which include fighting corruption, revamping the fishing industry, and renegotiating contracts with multinationals so the population benefits more from the extraction of natural resources like oil and gas.

The main opposition coalition, led by former president Macky Sall, won 16 seats. Mr Sall and other opposition leaders have conceded.

Before Sunday’s legislative election, Pastef only held 56 seats in the National Assembly while Mr Sall’s coalition had a slim majority with 83 seats.

President Faye, who was elected in March on an anti-Establishment platform, said the lack of a majority had prevented him from delivering on his pledges.

International observers, including from the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, praised the smooth voting process.