Ousmane Sonko addresses dissent and outlines agenda
Amidst a backdrop of criticism and challenges surrounding the convocation of the National Assembly’s extraordinary session, Speaker Ousmane Sonko took the floor this Monday. He aimed to clarify the legal framework governing the proceedings, detail the legislative agenda, and dispel what he described as misinterpretations. With five legislative texts on the docket and the establishment of six inquiry commissions, debates are poised to be highly contentious, fueled by sharp attacks from opposition figures such as Thierno Alassane Sall, and the pointed remarks of presidential advisor Aldiouma Sow.
Five key legislative texts for parliamentarians
Ousmane Sonko initiated the proceedings, presiding over yesterday’s plenary session that marked the opening of the first extraordinary session of 2026. He challenged his detractors, asserting that the Parliament is committed to completing its work. He reiterated the session’s agenda, which centers on five crucial bills and proposed laws. Three originate from the government, and two from the Parliament itself. Deputies are set to review Bill No. 15-2026 concerning the Labor Code, Bill No. 16-2026 regarding the Social Security Code, and Bill No. 25-2026 pertaining to the protection of critical infrastructure and digital security.
However, particular attention is drawn to proposed Law No. 33-2026, which seeks to amend Article 37 of the Constitution, and proposed Law No. 34-2026, concerning the legal framework for special credits. These two proposals will undergo an expedited procedure at the request of their sponsors, with the detailed work schedule to be determined by the Conference of Presidents.
Six inquiry commissions under scrutiny
Concurrently, the session is tasked with validating the establishment of six parliamentary inquiry commissions. Their investigations will delve into highly sensitive issues, including irregularities in land management, the sale of state-owned properties, and the utilization of financial mechanisms such as Total Return Swaps (TRS).
Parliamentarians also intend to shed light on discrepancies within the “Un étudiant, un ordinateur” (One Student, One Computer) program, instances of revenue abandonment, the management of tax exemptions, and the conditions governing the allocation and renewal of fishing licenses.
A two-speed timeline: “commissions have six months”
Regarding these commissions, Ousmane Sonko emphatically dispelled any ambiguity concerning the duration of their investigations. “It was never stated that parliamentary inquiry commissions would convene and complete their work within fifteen days,” he clarified. In accordance with Article 55 of the internal rules, each commission will comprise a maximum of eleven deputies, appointed proportionally across parliamentary groups. Once the resolution is ratified in plenary by an absolute majority and without debate, the commission will elect its bureau, consisting of a president, two vice-presidents, and a rapporteur.
“They will have six months, at most, to complete their work and submit their report to the Bureau of the National Assembly,” the Speaker affirmed, emphasizing that Article 58 permits proceedings to continue outside of regular sessions. “I felt it was important to make these clarifications to avoid certain confusions,” he underscored.
Earlier, the leader of the parliamentary majority addressed critics 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 align with reality or the truth of the texts,” he stated at the outset of his remarks, referencing the Constitution and the National Assembly’s internal rules.
Invoking Article 7 of the latter text, he specified that a session can result from a Bureau decision, a written request from the majority of deputies, or a presidential initiative. Those who argue that the Bureau lacks the authority to convene an extraordinary session, according to the majority leader, have misunderstood the legal provisions.
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Thierno Alassane Sall criticizes Pastef’s stance These clarifications did little to quell the fervor of the opposition. Present in the hemicycle during this extraordinary session, Thierno Alassane Sall commented on an entirely different current event. The non-aligned deputy vehemently intervened to denounce the government’s position regarding the organization of upcoming local elections, following remarks made by Ousmane Sonko in Jolof accusing the opposition of seeking a postponement. “Everyone has seen the position of the FDR. 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. Referring to 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 as it pleases. 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 start by setting an example in the hemicycle. Political backlash and denunciation of “messianic management” The offensive continued on the political front. Via his Facebook page, Aldiouma Sow, a ministerial advisor to the president, launched a scathing critique of the parliamentary majority, highlighting absenteeism during the session’s opening. “The 34% absenteeism today in the National Assembly signals a profound malaise within the ranks of our parliamentary majority, usurped by the Messiah-impostor. We are undoubtedly witnessing the irreversible disavowal of a messianic management of the Hemicycle 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 day-to-day technical advisors, lurking in the shadows of the Messiah-impostor’s cabinet and poised to take their places in the event of a new legislature.” |