Senegalese Constitutional Council invalidates reform revising balance of powers
via Abidjan.net9 min read
The Senegalese Constitutional Council has invalidated a bill passed by the National Assembly last week that aimed to revise the balance of powers between the executive and parliament. The law, adopted by a large majority in the parliament dominated by the Pastef party, was deemed "contrary to the Constitution" by the Council. This decision followed a referral by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who had initially expressed an intention to submit the reform to a referendum but ultimately filed an appeal for unconstitutionality due to a violation of the constitutional revision procedure. The invalidated text would have strengthened the powers of the Assembly, led by Ousmane Sonko, and the Prime Minister, while effectively restricting the powers of President Diomaye Faye. The Constitutional Council cited two reasons for its invalidation: the absence of revenue provisions to compensate for the creation of a new constitutional court as stipulated by the law, and the Assembly's failure to adhere to the procedure allowing the government to introduce amendments during the plenary session. This ruling comes amidst months of tensions between President Faye and his former mentor, Ousmane Sonko, who was dismissed as Prime Minister on May 22 but subsequently elected as President of the National Assembly on May 26. The Pastef party, which holds 130 out of 165 seats in the Assembly, initiated the bill on May 29, stating its aim was to achieve a "better rebalancing of prerogatives" among Sene
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