Senegal constitutional revision law passed after opposition boycott

The Pastef parliamentary majority passed the constitutional revision bill with 129 votes in favor. The opposition boycotted the session after one of its members, Abdou Mbow, was ejected from the chamber for refusing to leave the podium.

Justice Minister Moussa Sarr represented the government and defended four amendments, all of which were rejected by majority lawmakers. I was at the National Assembly for the vote.

Opposition boycott

The opposition accused National Assembly President Ousmane Sonko of violating internal rules and decided to boycott the session. They called the Pastef’s proposed revision a ‘betrayal’. Aïssata Tall Sall, leader of the opposition parliamentary group, said: ‘The goal was achieved – to show the world that what is happening in the National Assembly is dictatorship and betrayal. We mobilized gendarmes to remove a deputy who was only exercising his right to speak. That is what we wanted to show the world. Mission accomplished.’

Government-Pastef tensions

Justice Minister Moussa Sarr saw all four of his amendments rejected by Pastef deputies. He argued they were meant to restore balance between the presidency and the National Assembly, which he said the revision tilted too far toward parliament. ‘This revision touches on major constitutional issues and alters the balance of our regime: rationalizing the motion of censure, limiting the right of dissolution, procedures for completing the Constitutional Court, and alignment with our fundamental status and international commitments. Expanding the possibility to file a motion of censure to ten times per legislature while allowing only one dissolution for the president during his term breaks the traditional institutional equilibrium.’

Disagreements between Diomaye Faye and Sonko camps

A key point of contention between the Pastef and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is the requirement to declare assets at the start and end of a term. Ousmane Sonko said such a divergence should not exist, as it was a commitment made. ‘The president took the text and kept only what suited him. The Constitution does not belong to Bassirou Diomaye Faye. To say “no, I will not declare assets at the end,” “no, I want to be party president” – these were commitments made during political dialogue, carried by the party. For over ten years, we have fought this battle together. By what right can one person pick and choose only what suits him?’

Sonko called on President Faye to promulgate the law. However, the head of state wants to put the text to a referendum. The reform sparked protests by the opposition and civil society on Monday morning near the National Assembly.