The civil society in Senegal is taking a clear stance on the constitutional reform process that has just unfolded. Following the National Assembly’s adoption of the reform bill, spearheaded by Pastef lawmakers on June 29, the Y’en a marre movement—a grassroots collective with 15 years of activism—has emphasized the necessity of submitting the text to a referendum before its final approval. This approach aligns with the proposal put forward by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
The movement has also raised concerns over the resurgence of a toxic political climate, accusing certain actors of engaging in political maneuvering and backroom deals reminiscent of past practices. Aliou Sané, the movement’s founder, supports the referendum but insists on transparency: “The referendum announcement must not serve as a delaying tactic to undermine Pastef’s initiative. These reforms should move forward, but citizens deserve the chance to understand and decide for themselves.”
old tactics and new controversies
Y’en a marre has criticized the return of discrediting tactics targeting critics of the government. Since openly opposing Pastef’s approach, the movement has faced accusations of being a “LGBT lobby”—a label that carries significant stigma in Senegal, where homosexuality has faced harsher repression since March. “We’ve seen these tactics before under Abdoulaye Wade and Macky Sall,” the movement stated. “They accuse us of being funded by foreign LGBT lobbies to destabilize the country, but it’s a baseless claim. We recognize the sensitivity of this issue in Senegalese society. When Macky Sall made these accusations, those now in power stood by us in protest.”
The collective also condemned the arrest of twelve individuals near the National Assembly on June 29, the day the reform bill was passed. Among them were nine young activists from the opposition party Alternative for Citizen Renewal (ARC), detained for “disturbing public order” and “participating in an unauthorized demonstration.” They were released a few hours later.