Senegal assembly approves constitutional reform amid political tensions

The National Assembly in Dakar has approved a constitutional reform bill, marking a significant political milestone in Senegal. The legislation, championed by the ruling Pastef party, secured 129 votes in favor, while opposition lawmakers staged a walkout to protest procedural violations.

Opposition boycott and procedural disputes

The opposition coalition pulled out of the session after security forces removed one of their members, Abdou Mbow, for refusing to leave the podium. The move was condemned as a violation of parliamentary rules by opposition leaders, including Aïssata Tall Sall, who accused the National Assembly president Ousmane Sonko of authoritarian tactics.

“We achieved our goal,” declared Sall. “We wanted the world to witness this dictatorship and breach of protocol. Dispatching gendarmes to remove a lawmaker exercising his right to speak? That’s what we demonstrated today.”

The opposition has labeled the reform a constitutional misdeed, intensifying existing tensions between lawmakers and the executive branch.

Government amendments rejected

The Justice Minister Moussa Sarr proposed four amendments to address what he called an imbalance favoring the legislature over the presidency. However, these were all struck down by the ruling majority, which argued that the changes altered fundamental constitutional balances.

“This reform undermines critical constitutional safeguards,” Sarr argued. “It centralizes power in the legislature by allowing up to ten no-confidence motions per term while limiting presidential dissolution powers to just one. Such a shift disrupts our institutional equilibrium and weakens checks and balances.”

Clashes between Sonko and president Faye

Another point of contention involves the president’s refusal to maintain asset declarations at the end of his term, despite earlier commitments. Ousmane Sonko, Assembly president and key figure in the Pastef movement, criticized President Bassirou Diomaye Faye for selectively implementing reforms.

“The Constitution belongs to all Senegalese, not one individual,” Sonko asserted. “Promising transparency through asset declarations and then discarding that commitment? Changing the rules to suit personal ambitions? This is unacceptable.”

While Sonko has urged immediate enactment of the law, President Faye insists on putting the reform to a national referendum, further deepening the rift within the ruling party and sparking protests by opposition groups and civil society outside the Assembly.