Senegal National Assembly adopts electoral code reform, sparking debate

The text was approved with 29 votes for, 11 against, and 2 abstentions. The reform primarily concerns ineligibility conditions related to judicial convictions, aiming to replace permanent disqualification with a time-limited ineligibility, typically set for several years after sentence completion. This reform comes amidst debate surrounding the eligibility of Ousmane Sonko, whose candidacy for the 2024 presidential election was invalidated due to a judicial conviction confirmed by the Supreme Court.

Supporters argue that the 2024 amnesty erased the effects of this conviction, while opponents believe the current reform aims to alter rules for the benefit of a specific political actor. Opposition deputies, including Anta Babacar Ngom and Thierno Alassane Sall, criticized the reform as rushed, legally questionable, and potentially unconstitutional. Conversely, majority deputies, such as Guy Marius Sagna, defended the reform as necessary to correct previous electoral code provisions deemed inequitable and to restore fairness to the electoral process.

The urgency procedure used for the bill also caused tension, with some deputies alleging violations of internal regulations. The adoption of this reform occurs under the presidency of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, within a context of political