Ousmane Diagne to assume presidency of Constitutional Council on August 11

Diagne, who was appointed on July 13, 2026, was selected after a rigorous process, according to sources from the Palace of the Republic. Several high-ranking magistrates were considered for the position, including two former presidents of the Supreme Court, a Prosecutor General, and a current member of the Constitutional Council. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye ultimately chose Diagne, whose profile met the requirements of the organic law governing the high court.

This law stipulates that the president of the Constitutional Council must be selected from magistrates who have served as first president or Prosecutor General of the Supreme Court, or as chamber president, among other roles. The law also includes tenured law professors, State Inspectors General, and lawyers. These individuals, whether active or retired, must have at least twenty years of experience in public service or in their profession.

Diagne's career includes roles such as Prosecutor General at the Dakar Court of Appeal and first Advocate General at the Supreme Court, which were significant factors in his selection.