“Diomaye-Sonko, a new season”, read the headlines on Tuesday, 30 June, regarding the strained ties between president Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former prime minister Ousmane Sonko. Dismissed from the premiership on 22 May, Sonko claimed the speaker’s seat at the National Assembly four days later.

A new season indeed, as two blocs now clash over a constitutional reform: the executive and the legislative branches. This is, as one daily described it, a “shock of institutions”.

On 29 June, the National Assembly – where Ousmane Sonko’s party, the African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (Pastef), holds 130 of the 165 seats – adopted a constitutional revision proposal. However, at the start of the examination, Minister of Justice Me Moussa Sarr announced that its adoption would be subject to an upcoming referendum.

Transformation of institutional architecture

The text is divisive. The government’s four proposed amendments were rejected by the law commission. The review preceding the 29 June vote took place in a tense atmosphere, as one newspaper reported: “In protest, opposition deputies walked out of the chamber.”

“This reform, backed by the majority that emerged from the