Dakar — A high-stakes legislative marathon is underway at the National Assembly as Senegal’s political landscape braces for pivotal decisions
The Assembly’s Bureau convened today following the Conference of Presidents (CDP), where lawmakers approved a packed legislative calendar. Among the priority texts are the Labour Code and Social Security Code, slated for committee review tomorrow and plenary debate on Monday. However, all eyes remain fixed on the constitutional review proposal, which has become the focal point of intense political maneuvering.
Ousmane Sonko, President of the National Assembly, addressed members of the Bureau with a clear message: the Executive branch, led by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has yet to respond to the mandatory advisory opinion formally submitted weeks ago. This silence has forced the legislative arm into a strategic move—Sonko declared a June 22 deadline for the presidency to provide its formal stance. Should the deadline pass unmet, the Assembly’s Bureau will proceed immediately with the constitutional review process, irrespective of the Executive’s position.
Sonko’s resolve underscores a broader legislative impatience. He also highlighted the Assembly’s unresolved wait for two critical financial documents—the Mid-Year Finance Bill and the Budget Orientation Debate—both already approved by the Council of Ministers but still pending submission to Parliament. The tension between the legislative and executive branches is palpable, with lawmakers signalling their intent to advance key reforms by the close of the current ordinary session.
The coming days will reveal whether the presidency will engage with the Assembly’s demands or if institutional deadlock will push forward a constitutional revision without further delay. The political stakes could not be higher.