Senegal’s National Assembly has passed a sweeping Senegal constitutional reform that strips the president of key powers, in a vote that drove opposition lawmakers out of the chamber and triggered street clashes outside parliament.
The bill cleared by an overwhelming majority on Monday, 29 June, after Pastef, the party led by National Assembly Speaker Ousmane Sonko, pushed it through a legislature where it holds 130 of 165 seats.
Senegal’s Justice Minister confirmed that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye will call a national referendum on the Senegal constitutional reform, though no date has been given.
A Power Shift Rooted in a Fractured Alliance
The Senegal constitutional reform comes weeks after a dramatic rupture inside the government that brought both men to power in 2024.
Faye dismissed Sonko as prime minister last month. Sonko then contested and won the presidency of the National Assembly, positioning himself to lead the legislature now pushing through a bill that formally cuts his rival down to size.
The Associated Press reported that opposition groups regard the measure as political revenge, given that Sonko retains commanding influence over the parliamentary majority through Pastef despite no longer serving in the executive.
Presidential coalition leader Aminata Touré said on Sunday that parliament was being weaponised against the head of state. France 24 reported her warning that the proposals appear aimed at limiting the president’s authority while boosting the powers of the National Assembly speaker.
What Senegal Constitutional Reform Actually Changes
The Senegal constitutional reform proposes several structural changes to how the country is governed.
It would require the government to inform parliament of all agreements related to the exploitation of natural resources, a provision aimed at tightening legislative oversight of oil and gas deals. The bill also broadens what parliamentary inquiry committees can do, giving them the power to hear any relevant person, including magistrates.
The bill further proposes replacing the existing seven-member Constitutional Council with a nine-member Constitutional Court.
It bars any head of state from simultaneously serving as the leader of a political party, a clause with clear implications for the 2029 presidential election. It also tightens restrictions on the president’s ability to dissolve the National Assembly and limits the executive’s decision-making powers during the window between a presidential vote and the official proclamation of results.
Supporters of the new law argue that the Senegal constitutional reform will strengthen institutional checks and improve accountability across government.
Tear Gas and Boycott
The session did not pass without confrontation.
An opposition MP who refused to leave the podium after his motion to delay the vote was rejected was physically removed from the chamber by gendarmes, according to AFP journalists present. All remaining opposition MPs except one then walked out in protest.
Outside, roughly 50 demonstrators, many affiliated with former president Macky Sall’s Alliance for the Republic, attempted to storm the parliament building. Police responded with tear gas and detained several opposition leaders and activists.
Protesters carried placards and chanted “Hands off my Constitution” as the vote proceeded inside. Analysts expect the Senegal constitutional reform to dominate national debate in the weeks leading up to the referendum campaign.
The government has not said when the referendum will take place, but the announcement makes the Senegal constitutional reform a live political question that now goes to the Senegalese people to decide.
