Mr Wade is facing internal party challenges. On March 27th Aminata Tall, a PDS heavyweight nicknamed "the Iron Lady", officially distanced herself from the president and his proposed candidacy in 2012. Although tension has simmered between the two for some time, this is the most public instance and it may constitute a significant blow to Mr Wade if Mrs Tall encourages others in the party similarly to reject his electoral ambitions and even to leave the party itself. The possibility of an internal party challenge has therefore increased.

Internal PDS divisions seem to be increasing at a difficult time for the president. Mrs Tall has also hinted at the possibility of forming an alliance with a former prime minister, Idrissa Seck, who, despite recently returning to the PDS after time in the opposition, also opposes Mr Wade's candidacy. The two, together with another former prime minister, Macky Sall, who left the PDS in 2008 to establish his own opposition party, Alliance pour la république, still command substantial support in liberal ranks of the PDS. Mrs Tall and Mr Sall could both be viable candidates for Benno Siggil Senegal should they leave the party and the coalition pick a single consensus candidate (Mr Seck less so, as it has been suggested that he is a plausible contender for the PDS itself if he and the president resolve their current differences and the latter decides-or is forced-to step aside).