President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has signaled a major shift in Sénégal‘s political landscape by announcing that any upcoming constitutional overhaul will be put to a popular vote. Should the National Assembly give its approval to the current draft, the final decision will rest with the citizens through a national referendum.
This legislative package, which is currently under review, seeks to fundamentally reorganize the distribution of authority within the state. The primary objective is to create a more balanced institutional framework by strengthening the roles of the legislative and judicial branches while simultaneously curbing the extensive powers traditionally held by the presidency.
A democratic consultation via Article 103
The Minister of Justice, Moussa Sarr, officially shared the President’s intentions during a session at the National Assembly on Monday. He clarified that the head of state has already informed parliamentary leadership of his decision to trigger Article 103 of the Constitution. This specific provision grants the President the authority to submit constitutional amendments to a public referendum.
The proposed text aims to modernize Sénégal‘s governance. By redistributing competencies across the executive, legislative, and judicial pillars, the reform intends to move away from a highly centralized presidential system toward a more collaborative governance model.
Political dynamics at the summit
While the parliamentary majority—largely aligned with Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko—backs the reform, the move comes during a period of visible political friction. Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko, who rose to power together following the landmark March 2024 election, have recently shown signs of disagreement on several key national issues.
By opting for a referendum, President Faye is effectively bypassing a purely parliamentary conclusion to the reform process. This strategy allows the Sénégal electorate to act as the ultimate arbiter of a project that proponents claim will redefine the country’s institutional future.