World famous Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour announced his candidacy for president of Senegal in the upcoming election. He decided to enter politics because he believes Senegal's democracy is in danger and he wants to offer an alternative vision. N'Dour is confident that if the election is free and fair, he will win, since he feels the Senegalese people support him. However, he has criticized the candidacy of the current president and his main rival, Abdoulaye Wade, stating that Wade is barred from running for a third term according to the constitution.
N'Dour Claims Popular Demand for Senegal Presidency
1. ENGLISH
4
LISTENING
MUSIC
N’DOUR
CLAIMS
POPULAR
DEMAND
FOR
SENEGAL
PRESIDENCY
FROM
:
EURONEWS,
24.8.2010
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Youssou
N'Dour
was
born
in
Dakar,
Senegal
on
October
1,
1959.
He
began
playing
and
performing
music
in
his
early
teens,
and
a
few
years
later,
found
himself
joining
The
Star
Band,
one
of
Senegal's
most
popular
musical
ensembles.
Youssou
N'Dour
went
on
to
form
his
own
group,
Etoile
de
Dakar,
and
his
rise
to
international
superstardom
went
on
from
there.
World
famous
Senegalese
musician
Youssou
N’Dour
says
he
wants
to
give
up
music
for
politics
and
will
run
for
president
of
his
West
African
nation.
Euronews
spoke
to
him
about
why
he
has
made
that
decision.
François
Chignac,
euronews:
“You
have
just
announced
you
will
be
a
candidate
in
Senegal’s
presidential
election,
to
be
held
next
month.
Our
first
question
is
simple.
Why
are
you
entering
the
race
so
late
when
only
a
few
months
ago
you
were
saying
you
would
never
be
a
candidate?”
Youssou
N’Dour:
“Since
the
start
of
my
career
I’ve
spoken
with
this
country’s
leaders.
Through
my
music
I’ve
spoken
about
its
people
and
the
situation
in
the
country,
but
I
don’t
think
they’ve
listened.
Plus
I
think
I’m
a
Senegalese
political
figure
anyway;
I’ve
realised
our
democracy
is
in
danger,
and
I
believe
I
offer
an
alternative,
based
on
what
I’ve
lived,
and
what’s
happened
around
me.”
euronews:
“Do
you
really
appreciate
the
scale
of
the
challenge
of
this
candidacy?”
Youssou
N’Dour:
“I
can
assure
you
I’m
no
adventurer.
My
project
is
a
long-‐term
one.
Ask
instead
the
authorities
to
do
their
utmost
to
ensure
free
and
fair
elections,
and
democracy
will
reward
the
best
candidate.
If
we
get
a
free
election,
I’ll
win,
I
have
no
doubt.
The
Senegalese
people
are
with
me,
we
know
exactly
what
they
think
and
what
they
will
do
at
the
polls.
Now
it’s
up
to
the
authorities.
Abdoulaye
Wade
is
responsible.
What
we’ve
seen
up
to
now
doesn’t
reassure
us,
so
we
also
want
the
international
community
to
make
sure
we
have
a
perfectly
democratic
vote.”
euronews:
“What
do
you
think
of
the
candidature
of
the
current
president
and
your
main
rival,
Abdoulaye
Wade?”
Youssou
N’Dour:
“He
doesn’t
even
have
the
right
to
stand.
Our
constitution
bars
him
from
a
third
mandate;
it
should
rule
him
out
of
even
standing!
I
don’t
consider
him
a
candidate,
he’s
trying
to
force
the
issue
and
I
don’t
think
he
cares
if
that
brings
trouble
and
destabilisation.
I
say
it’s
better
to
prevent
than
cure.
The
Senegalese
people
have
demonstrated
several
times
already
that
they
don’t
want
Wade
to
drive
a
coach
and
horses
through
the
constitution.”
euronews:
“You
made
Senegal’s
traditional
music
famous
on
stages
around
the
world.
Do
you
want
to
do
the
same
for
Senegal?
The
country
hasn’t
been
very
visible
in
recent
years.”
Youssou
N’Dour:
“Just
me
standing
as
a
candidate
has
drawn
the
eyes
of
the
world
towards
Senegal,
and
that’s
good
because
we
want
clean
elections.
If
I
win
in
the
first
round,
well,
we’ll
be
in
orbit
and
I’ll
be
travelling
everywhere
to
talk
about
co-‐operation
and
a
new
Senegal.
I’ll
have
to
ensure
all
our
partners
share
our
vision,
a
vision
that
is
coming
from
the
grass
roots,
the
people
of
Senegal,
responding
to
their
real
needs.”
euronews:
“Finally,
several
African
leaders
have
appeared,
or
are
appearing,
at
the
International
Criminal
Court.
Has
Africa
obtained
better
governments
by
allowing
these
trials?”
Youssou
N’Dour:
“The
International
Criminal
Court
has
intervened
in
many
counties
and
played
its
role.
What
I
find
deplorable
is
that
there’s
no
similar
tribunal
either
organised
by
the
African
Union
or
an
African
country,
where
any
citizen
can
be
tried,
no
matter
who
they
are.”
PHOTO
,
VIDEO
AND
SCRIPT
:
http://www.euronews.net/2012/01/12/n-‐dour-‐speaks-‐about-‐senegalese-‐candidacy
TEXT
IN
BOX
:
http://worldmusic.about.com/od/bandsartistsaz/p/YoussouNDour.htm
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