Senegal's National Assembly debates electoral code reform amid political tensions

The Pastef party, holding a majority with 130 out of 165 deputies, is expected to pass the bill. However, the opposition and the Diomaye-Président coalition are closely monitoring the situation. Abdoulaye Tine, a lawyer and leader within the Diomaye-Président coalition, warns that this process could lead to legal disputes, erode trust among political actors, and undermine the credibility of Senegalese democracy.

He urges deputies aligned with Ousmane Sonko to withdraw the proposal to avoid immediate recourse to the Constitutional Council. Tine also highlighted a legislative procedure principle: bills introduced by the government take precedence over legislative proposals on the same subject. If a government bill is submitted, the review of proposals must be suspended.

Should the text proceed, the President has 15 days to refer it to the Constitutional Council for compliance review or request a new reading. This situation reveals a growing political distance between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. While Pastef deputies proposed amendments to the electoral code, specifically articles L29 and L30, to make their leader eligible, the President publicly released four draft bills before their submission to the National Assembly.

A supporter of the President suggests this move reflects a desire to address general issues, contrasting it with Ousmane Sonko's approac