Senegal political tensions as sonko challenges faye over constitutional reform

The ratification of Senegal’s constitutional amendment has sparked unprecedented political friction at the highest levels of government. Following the National Assembly’s passage of the bill, Ousmane Sonko, the Assembly President, publicly confronted Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the President of the Republic, accusing him of abandoning core principles he once championed while in opposition.

Addressing lawmakers, Sonko emphasized that the constitutional reform represents over a decade of political deliberation, drawing from outcomes of national dialogues and expert-driven commission reports. He stressed that these commitments cannot be unilaterally overturned by individual leadership preferences.

“The Constitution does not belong to Bassirou Diomaye Faye alone,” Sonko declared, criticizing the President’s apparent intention to reverse key clauses—most notably the mandatory asset declaration upon leaving office and the prohibition against the Head of State leading a political party.

He underscored the absurdity of selective adoption, stating, “You cannot cherry-pick provisions, discarding those that inconvenience you while keeping only what suits your interests.”

Breaking with past promises

Sonko argued that the President’s approach contradicts the PASTEF party’s long-standing commitments since 2014. He alleged that Faye had begun “cherry-picking” reforms, retaining only those favorable to his agenda as President.

“He’s already sifting through the text, picking out what works for him and discarding the rest,” Sonko asserted. Despite his sharp criticism, he urged Faye to sign the bill into law, asserting that the qualified majority vote in Parliament was sufficient to validate the amendment without requiring a referendum.

Concluding his remarks, Sonko posed a pointed question: “What changed in our little brother and President?” before appealing for Faye to return to the foundational principles of his political career and honor the promises made to the Senegalese people.