The Front for the Defence of the Republic (FDR) has issued a formal declaration demanding the immediate removal of Ousmane Sonko from his seat in the National Assembly. According to the coalition led by Khalifa Sall, Sonko’s continued presence in parliament is both illegal and illegitimate.
In a statement released by its Leaders’ Conference, the FDR praised the collective mobilization of 147 political parties and movements that signed a joint declaration on May 24th. The coalition condemned what it describes as a parliamentary coup attempt by the PASTEF party. It also welcomed the decision of opposition lawmakers to refer the matter to the Constitutional Council for review.
The FDR further argued that Sonko’s status as a deputy is invalid under article LO172 of the Electoral Code. This provision states that a minister who is elected to parliament automatically forfeits their seat if they fail to resign from the government within eight days. The coalition contends that PASTEF circumvented this rule by amending the Assembly’s internal regulations, a move the FDR claims is unconstitutional on two grounds.
First, the FDR insists that any such return to parliament must be governed by an organic law integrated into the Electoral Code, not hidden within the Assembly’s internal rules. Second, the coalition points out that the amended regulations introduce the concept of “deputy substitutes,” a category not recognized under Senegalese law outside of departmental and proportional electoral systems. The FDR concludes that PASTEF has violated not only the Constitution and the Electoral Code but also the Assembly’s own regulations, which are strictly meant to govern internal procedures, as outlined in article one of those rules.
In its call to action, the FDR is urging all national stakeholders to unite behind a comprehensive action plan to uphold the rule of law and defend the integrity of Senegal’s democratic institutions.