Amidst a wave of public criticism and challenges regarding the convocation of the extraordinary parliamentary session, National Assembly President Ousmane Sonko stepped forward this Monday. He aimed to precisely define the legal framework for the proceedings, detail the legislative agenda, and dispel what he termed “misconceptions.” With five legislative texts slated for review and the establishment of six inquiry commissions, the debates are poised for high tension, further fueled by sharp critiques from opposition figures such as Thierno Alassane Sall and pointed remarks from Aldiouma Sow, a minister advisor to the President of the Republic.
Five key bills for lawmakers’ consideration
Ousmane Sonko initiated the legislative proceedings, presiding over the plenary session that marked the opening of the first extraordinary session of 2026. He challenged his critics, assuring them that Parliament would see its work through to completion. He reiterated the session’s agenda, which centers on five crucial bills and proposed laws. Three of these originate from the government, while two are parliamentary initiatives. Deputies are set to review Bill n°15-2026 concerning the Labor Code, Bill n°16-2026 on the Social Security Code, and Bill n°25-2026 related to critical infrastructure protection and digital security.
However, particular attention is drawn to proposed Law n°33-2026, which seeks to amend Article 37 of the Constitution, and proposed Law n°34-2026, pertaining to the legal framework for special credits. These two proposals will undergo an urgent procedure at the request of their sponsors, with the detailed work schedule to be determined by the Conference of Presidents.
Six parliamentary inquiry commissions target critical issues
Concurrently, the session is expected to ratify the establishment of six parliamentary inquiry commissions. Their investigations will delve into highly sensitive areas, including irregularities in land management, the transfer of state-owned built heritage properties, and the utilization of financial mechanisms such as Total Return Swaps (TRS).
Lawmakers also intend to shed light on issues surrounding the “One student, one computer” program, revenue shortfalls, the management of tax exemptions, and the conditions governing the allocation and renewal of fishing licenses.
A staggered timeline: “commissions have six months”
Regarding these commissions, Ousmane Sonko emphatically clarified the duration of their investigations. “It was never stated that parliamentary inquiry commissions would convene and complete their work within fifteen days,” he asserted. In accordance with Article 55 of the internal regulations, each commission will comprise a maximum of eleven deputies, appointed proportionally to their respective parliamentary groups. Once the resolution is ratified in plenary by an absolute majority and without debate, the commission will elect its executive board, consisting of a president, two vice-presidents, and a rapporteur.
“They will have a maximum of six months to conduct their work and submit their report to the Bureau of the National Assembly,” stressed the President of the National Assembly, reminding that Article 58 permits these activities to continue even outside of regular sessions. “I wanted to make these clarifications to avoid certain confusions,” he underlined.
Earlier, the head of the majority had responded to detractors who questioned the National Assembly Bureau’s authority to convene an extraordinary session. “Since the convocation of this extraordinary session, much information has been disseminated that does not conform to reality or the truth of the texts,” he stated at the outset of his address, referencing the Constitution and the National Assembly’s internal regulations.
Invoking Article 7 of the latter text, he specified that a session could result from a Bureau decision, a written request from the majority of deputies, or a presidential initiative. Those who argue that the Bureau is not authorized to convene an extraordinary session have misunderstood, according to the majority leader.
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Thierno Alassane Sall criticizes Pastef’s stance This clarification failed to appease the opposition’s fervor. Thierno Alassane Sall, a non-aligned deputy present in the chamber during the extraordinary session, used the occasion to address a different pressing issue. He vehemently denounced the government’s position concerning the organization of upcoming local elections, especially after Ousmane Sonko’s remarks in Jolof accusing the opposition of seeking a postponement. “Everyone has seen the FDR’s position. We demand timely elections. Elections must be held, and there must be discussions with political actors to understand what is delaying things. That is democracy and transparency, not locking oneself in an office to scheme and ultimately surprise everyone,” declared the leader of La République des Valeurs. Recalling the dissolution of the Assembly in 2024, the deputy criticized the opacity surrounding the Constitutional Council’s opinions: “They had the answer, and I had written to the Constitutional Council asking it to make its decision public. But the seven sages refused. Sometimes, the Constitutional Council does what it wants. This time again, the President asked it. Let it publish the decision.” He added, dismissing the government’s accusations: “So, let them not tire us. We all agree that elections must be held on schedule.” Regarding the debate on political funds, the deputy also decried the National Assembly’s lack of transparency. For him, Ousmane Sonko should lead by example within the chamber. Political dissent and condemnation of “messianic management” The political offensive continued elsewhere. Via his Facebook page, Aldiouma Sow launched a fierce attack on the parliamentary majority, highlighting absenteeism during the session’s opening. “The 34% absenteeism today in the National Assembly signals a deep malaise within the ranks of our parliamentary majority, usurped by the impostor-Messiah. We are undoubtedly witnessing the irreversible disavowal of a messianic management of the Chamber, whose vital prognosis is engaged.” He continued, “The culmination of this disavowal must be the public determination of patriotic and republican deputies, whose seats are now threatened by former ministers, Sonko-dependents, careerists recycled as technical advisors of the day, lurking in the shadow of the impostor-Messiah’s cabinet and poised to take their places in the event of a new legislature.” |