Constitutional Council members resist proposed reform that would lead to their replacement

The reform, if approved, would replace the current Constitutional Council with a Constitutional Court, potentially leading to the removal of the current members from their positions. The existing Constitutional Council comprises seven members, while the proposed Constitutional Court would have nine members, including a president, a vice-president, and seven judges. The President of the Republic would appoint the members of the new Court.

The current members of the Constitutional Council would effectively be validating a text that would dissolve their institution and their roles, with no guarantee of reappointment to the new Court. This situation presents a unique dilemma, as it would require the judges to approve a reform that organizes their own replacement. The Constitutional Council has previously demonstrated its independence, notably by annulling the postponement of the presidential election under former President Macky Sall and invalidating a law revising the amnesty voted under his presidency.

Ousmane Sonko, leader of the Patriots, has criticized the Constitutional Council's decision to invalidate the constitutional reform, stating that it implies deputies can only pass laws with the President's consent, an interpretation he deems unacceptable and not provided for in the Constitution. He has urged President