Senegal’s President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has decided to take a new constitutional amendment bill limiting his powers to a referendum, for the general population to decide, Justice Minister Moussa Sarr has announced.
The bill, adopted by parliament on Monday, June 29, strips the president of certain powers while empowering the National Assembly and the prime minister.
Under the revised constitution, an incumbent president cannot bind the state in any contract, head a political party or coalition, and must declare assets before and after office, among other provisions.
The bill was overwhelmingly passed by 129 parliamentarians out of 165 seats. The Pastef Party, led by President Faye’s political foe and national Assembly Speaker, Ousmane Sonko, maintains a majority of 130 of the 165 seats.
The opposition boycotted the vote, and protesters who gathered outside parliament also voiced their opposition. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators.
According to parliament, now led by former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, the bill aims to balance power between the executive and the legislature while strengthening transparency in the management of the country’s affairs.
Under the amendment, the prime minister gains more real power to run the day-to-day government, and it becomes harder for the president to dissolve parliament.
Although the bill has been adopted, it still requires the president’s signature to become law. Under Article 74 of the Senegalese constitution, the president has eight days to promulgate the bill; if he does not, it automatically becomes law.
