The ongoing revision of Senegal’s Constitution has brought to light unprecedented tensions within the highest echelons of government. Following the National Assembly’s approval of the proposed legislation, Ousmane Sonko, who presides over the institution, publicly voiced his disapproval of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Sonko accused the head of state of seeking to alter provisions that President Faye himself championed during his time in opposition.
Addressing the assembly of deputies, Sonko underscored that this constitutional overhaul stems from over a decade of comprehensive political deliberation. This extensive process was informed by the outcomes of national dialogues and the dedicated efforts of various expert commissions. He asserted that such deeply rooted commitments should not be undermined by the individual preferences of any single leader.
“The Constitution does not belong to Bassirou Diomaye Faye,” Sonko firmly stated. He condemned the President’s apparent intention to retract certain key provisions, specifically citing the mandatory declaration of assets at the conclusion of a presidential term and the prohibition preventing the President of the Republic from simultaneously leading a political party.
“One cannot simply take a foundational text, scrutinize it article by article, and then declare: ‘No, I no longer wish to disclose my assets upon leaving office’; or ‘No, I want to be the president of a political party,’” the National Assembly President emphatically asserted.
In Sonko’s view, this approach represents a distinct departure from the Pastef party’s longstanding historical commitments, which have been upheld since 2014. He further accused the head of state of having begun to “tamper” with the proposed reform, selectively retaining only those provisions deemed personally advantageous.
“He started to discern what suited him and what did not, as President of the Republic,” Sonko declared. Despite these sharp criticisms, Sonko still urged Bassirou Diomaye Faye to formally enact the law that the deputies had passed. He maintained that the qualified majority vote achieved was sufficient to validate the constitutional revision, thereby negating the need for a national referendum.
Concluding his address with a profoundly significant question, Sonko pondered, “What has changed in our younger brother and President?” He then expressed his earnest hope that the head of state would revert to what Sonko views as the foundational principles of his political commitment and honor the pledges made to the Senegalese people.
