Alioune Tine advocates for a Prime Minister from the parliamentary majority to resolve institutional deadlock
Alioune Tine, founder of Afrikajom Center, suggests that Senegal should have a Prime Minister from the parliamentary majority to resolve the ongoing institutional conflict between the executive and the Parliament. He notes that, unlike a typical presidential system where the executive and its parliamentary majority work in concert, Senegal's government is currently a minority in the National Assembly. This has led to the government resisting initiatives from the Pastef-aligned parliamentary majority, even challenging proposed laws from deputies before the Constitutional Council. The tension escalated during an extraordinary session of the National Assembly, presided over by Ousmane Sonko, which convened on August 10 and saw a confrontation with the government on August 18. Tine's proposal aims to restore institutional coherence. The issue gained particular relevance after May 2, 2026, when President Bassirou Diomaye Faye considered replacing Ousmane Sonko as head of government. Sonko later left the Prime Minister's office, replaced by Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô, and a new government formed on June 1, 2026, without official Pastef representation. Tine argues that dismissing a head of government without considering the real power balance in the National Assembly risks an institutional crisis, which Article 42 of the Constitution is meant to prevent. The relationship between the executive and Parliament is further complicated by Sonko's reintegration into the National Assembly and sub
