Ousmane sonko challenges constitutional council and president diomaye faye

During his recent tour through Baol, Ousmane Sonko significantly escalated his critique of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Convening this Sunday in Touba, where he inaugurated the Pastef-Touba headquarters and delivered a lecture on contemporary political challenges, the Pastef leader directly addressed the Constitutional Council’s decision to invalidate the constitutional revision law. He openly challenged the reasoning behind this high court’s ruling.

Initially, Ousmane Sonko, as President of the National Assembly, had urged respect for the high court’s decision, affirming its universal binding nature. However, his discourse in Touba marked a distinct change. He directly assailed the presidential practice of repeatedly referring matters to the Constitutional Council, remarking, “Every week, he will seize the Constitutional Council.” This statement underscored his perception of the Head of State’s systematic reliance on the “Sages” to circumvent parliamentary initiatives.

Sonko further elaborated his argument by challenging the very foundation of the Council’s ruling, stating, “The Constitutional Council cannot dictate that deputies must pass laws favored by the President of the Republic.” This was a direct rebuke of the seven judges’ rationale, even though their invalidation had been based on procedural grounds, specifically the absence of compensatory resources for new public expenditures created by the text and a failure to adhere to the blocked vote procedure. The Pastef leader concluded his address with a grave warning: “What is unfolding in this country is serious.”

These remarks from the President of the National Assembly signify a notable shift in his communication strategy, which had initially adopted a tone of institutional appeasement following the July 9 decision. They emerge as Pastef’s Baol tour, framed as an outreach and territorial strengthening initiative, increasingly takes on the character of a political counter-offensive. This move comes amidst the Presidency’s own efforts at recomposition, which have recently included hosting hundreds of mayors and announcing the imminent formation of its own political party.