Bassirou Diomaye Faye opts for constitutional reform to be submitted to referendum
Senegal's National Assembly adopted a proposed revision to Article 37 of the Constitution on Monday, August 17, 2026. However, this modification will not be submitted separately to a vote by Senegalese citizens, as decided by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. According to the Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals, the adopted text will be integrated into a broader constitutional reform, which will then be submitted for approval by the Senegalese people via a referendum. This direction stems from a decision by the President of the Republic, who informed the President of the National Assembly by letter dated July 30, 2026, of his decision to submit the revision proposal to a referendum, in accordance with Article 103 of the Constitution. The Minister of Justice explained that the reform of Article 37, which focuses on asset declarations, should be part of a wider institutional reflection. The government supported an amendment to extend the obligation of public asset declarations to key state authorities, including the President of the National Assembly and the Prime Minister. The text also aims for greater transparency by integrating asset declarations into presidential election candidacy files. The government seeks to enshrine this obligation for presidential candidates through a reform of the Constitution and the Electoral Code. The central point remains the method of validating this reform. The Minister of Justice stated that the proposal to revise Article 37 will be inclu
