The proposal has raised the hackles of Wade’s rivals in the typically quiet West African state, who say it will make it easier for Wade to secure victory in next February’s election, which pits him against a fractured opposition.
Senegal is an oasis of stability in a turbulent region, having enjoyed decades of democracy. But the run-up to the election is likely to be tense due to grievances over poor public services, the high cost of living and rows over whether 84-year-old Wade should even stand.
Opposition parties have been aiming to prevent Wade securing an overall majority in the first round, and then unite around an anti-Wade candidate in a second round run-off.
But analysts say Wade, as the incumbent running against a divided opposition, would have little difficulty in securing at least 25 percent in the first round.
“A (candidate) will be declared elected if he wins with at least 25 percent of the vote (in the first round),” read a draft of the law published in the pro-government Le Soleil newspaper on Saturday.
Wade himself was elected in 2000 after coming second in the first round with 31 percent, then winning an overall majority in the run-off.
The proposal is likely to sail through the majority-controlled parliament in the coming days.