Senegal’s constitutional clash: ousmane sonko challenges president faye

A significant constitutional revision in Sénégal has unveiled unprecedented tensions at the highest echelons of state power. Following the National Assembly’s adoption of a proposed law, Ousmane Sonko, the esteemed President of the institution, publicly voiced strong criticism against President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Sonko accused the head of state of intending to alter provisions he had vigorously championed during his time in opposition, signaling a deep rift within the nation’s political landscape.

Addressing members of parliament, Ousmane Sonko underscored that this constitutional reform is the culmination of over a decade of intensive political deliberation. This extensive work was informed by the outcomes of national dialogues and the dedicated efforts of various expert commissions. In Sonko’s view, such deeply rooted commitments cannot be undermined or dismissed by the personal preferences of a single leader.

“The Constitution does not belong to Bassirou Diomaye Faye,” Sonko asserted, condemning the President’s alleged desire to backtrack on specific provisions. These include the mandatory declaration of assets at the conclusion of a presidential mandate and the prohibition preventing the President of the Republic from simultaneously leading a political party.

“One cannot take a foundational text, examine it article by article, and then declare: ‘No, I no longer wish to declare my assets upon leaving office’; ‘No, I want to be the president of a political party,’” the President of the National Assembly insisted, emphasizing the integrity of the constitutional process.

According to Ousmane Sonko, this approach by the head of state represents a significant departure from the Pastef party’s historical commitments, which have been upheld since 2014. He specifically accused President Faye of having begun to “tinker” with the proposed reform, selectively retaining only those provisions deemed personally advantageous to him.

“He started to discern what suited him and what did not, as President of the Republic,” Sonko declared pointedly. Despite these sharp criticisms, Ousmane Sonko urged Bassirou Diomaye Faye to promulgate the law as adopted by the deputies. Sonko maintained that the qualified majority vote achieved is sufficient to validate the constitutional revision, thereby negating any requirement for a national referendum.

Concluding his intervention with a profound question, Sonko pondered, “What has truly changed in our younger brother and president?” He then expressed a fervent hope that the head of state would revert to what Sonko considers the foundational principles of his political engagement and honor the solemn promises made to the Senegalese people, pivotal for governance Africa.