BBN - GOVERNANCE IN SENEGAL: Parliament Adopts Constitutional Revision Amid High Tensions

The Senegalese National Assembly voted on Monday, June 29, 2026, on the draft revision of the Constitution. Unanimously approved by the members present after the opposition left, the text must now be submitted to a popular referendum for final adoption.

The examination of this major reform took place in a climate of high tension. From the start of the day, the tone was set outside the chamber: activists from the Alliance for the Republic (APR), the party of former President Macky Sall, supported by other opposition factions, mobilized in front of Parliament to block the draft. Security forces had to intervene massively, using tear gas to disperse the crowd and making several arrests.

Inside, the debates also turned confrontational. APR MP Abdou Mbow blocked the floor to demand the session be suspended.

Faced with the general altercation between parliamentarians, the gendarmerie had to intervene to remove the MP on the orders of the Assembly’s bureau.

Denouncing a lack of calm, opposition MPs left the chamber in protest. The bill was ultimately adopted unanimously by the 129 parliamentarians who remained.

Presented by the Minister of Justice, the bill significantly amends 29 articles of the constitution. Its main measures aim to rebalance powers. The President of the Republic will no longer be able to lead a political party.

The powers of the Prime Minister and the National Assembly are increased.

The Head of State will only be able to dissolve Parliament once per presidential term.

The project has drawn fierce criticism from civil society, the opposition, and some members of the Diomaye President coalition.

Many see it as a political maneuver tailor-made to consolidate the influence of Ousmane Sonko, the former Prime Minister recently installed as Speaker of the National Assembly. The lack of inclusivity in the process has also been highlighted.

For its part, the ruling party (Pastef) categorically rejects these accusations. Its representatives assert that these amendments simply fulfill the commitments made during the 2024 National Justice Conference and the 2025 National Dialogue.

The adoption by the members of parliament marks the end of the parliamentary process. The fate of this major institutional reform now rests in the hands of Senegalese voters, who will soon be called to the polls to decide by referendum.

✍️ Iréné N’KOUE