The leader of Pastef unveiled a proposed law that could change the political landscape in Senegal. Meeting behind closed doors on Saturday with his allies in the Patriotic Alliance for Labour and Ethics (Apte), Ousmane Sonko announced his intention to submit a bill aimed at strictly regulating the right to dissolve the National Assembly.
The measure is radical and stipulates that an elected president could only dissolve the assembly once during their term. If they wish to dissolve it a second time, they would then be forced to “put their mandate on the line”, in other words, trigger an early presidential election.
By presenting this reform, Ousmane Sonko is seeking to consolidate control over the assembly to secure his majority and make a potential political setback more difficult. But beyond the immediate political calculation, this proposal reflects a stated desire to fundamentally reform institutions to prevent chronic instability. The idea is to increase the president’s accountability by ensuring that a dissolution of parliament is no longer a trivial act, but a decision with significant personal consequences.
During this meeting with members of his alliance, Ousmane Sonko took the opportunity to provide a comprehensive overview of the political situation. He notably gave instructions to block any potential attacks against Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his coalition, a sign of his commitment to preserving the unity of the presidential camp. The Pastef leader also stated that his party’s strategy now focuses on recruiting mayors for the upcoming local elections, asserting that local elected officials are “even lining up behind Pastef”.
Seneweb
