Senegal constitutional reform: civil society demands a referendum free from political maneuvering

The political landscape in Sénégal is reaching a turning point as civil society groups demand clarity on the proposed changes to the nation’s founding document. Following the National Assembly’s approval of a constitutional reform bill introduced by Pastef deputies on June 29, the Y’en a marre collective has voiced its support for a public referendum. The movement, which has been a staple of citizen activism for 15 years, believes that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye‘s proposal must be validated by the people, though they warn against the return of “political calculations” and deceptive practices.

For the collective, the current reform efforts appear to be a continuation of the political interplay between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko. Aliou Sané, the founder of the movement, supports the executive’s call for a referendum but is asking for guarantees of sincerity. He argued that the announcement should not serve as a delay tactic to undermine Pastef‘s efforts, but should instead allow the public to understand and decide on the future of the state.

Allegations of smear campaigns

The collective also expressed concern over the revival of old tactics designed to discredit dissenting voices. Since taking a stand against the specific methods used by Pastef, Y’en a marre claims its members have been branded as an “LGBT lobby” by certain party supporters. In Sénégal, where homosexuality is heavily stigmatized and subject to increasingly strict laws, such labels are used to alienate activists from the broader public.

The movement noted that these are the same pressures they faced under the administrations of Abdoulaye Wade and Macky Sall. They pointed out the irony that the individuals now in power were once their allies, expressing outrage when similar accusations were leveled against them in the past.

In addition to the rhetorical attacks, Y’en a marre highlighted the detention of twelve people near the National Assembly during the legislative session on June 29. Among those held were nine activists from the Alternative pour la relève citoyenne (ARC) opposition party. Although they were accused of “disturbing public order” and participating in an unauthorized gathering, they were eventually released after several hours in custody.