Senegal to hold referendum after parliament backs constitutional reform
Senegal's president is set to call a referendum after the National Assembly overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that would shift the balance of power between the executive and parliament. The vote took place on Monday in a tense atmosphere outside and inside the chamber, with opposition protesters trying to force their way into the building and police using tear gas during scuffles. The reform was proposed by the ruling Pastef party and is now headed for a national vote.
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Justice Minister Moussa Sarr told lawmakers that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had decided to inform the speaker of the National Assembly that he would put the adopted text to a referendum. The bill was passed by a large majority after a debate marked by heated exchanges, an opposition boycott and the removal of an opposition MP from the podium by gendarmes. According to the supporting material, around 50 opposition protesters attempted to storm the assembly building as the vote was taking place.
The amendment would strengthen the powers of the National Assembly and the prime minister while reducing those of the president. Pastef, which holds 130 of the chamber's 165 seats, says the reform is intended to create a better rebalancing of powers among the executive, legislative and judicial branches. Critics from the opposition and civil society have argued that the changes could instead be used to limit the influence of the presidency.
The move comes after Faye dismissed Ousmane Sonko as prime minister in May, a decision that has added to the political tension around the reform. Sonko, who is described in the supplied material as Faye's rival, was then swiftly named speaker of the National Assembly, which is controlled by Pastef. That sequence has made the constitutional debate part of a wider struggle over how power is distributed within Senegal's institutions.
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Senegal has a presidential system, so any change to the relative authority of the presidency and parliament carries wider institutional significance. The debate has also exposed divisions between the governing camp and its opponents, with presidential coalition leader Aminata Touré accusing parliament of being used to weaken the president. The fact that the reform is being sent to a referendum means the issue will now move beyond the legislature and into a national political campaign.
What remains unclear is when the referendum will be held and how the government will frame the question for voters. It is also not yet clear how opposition parties and civil society groups will respond once the process formally begins. For now, the key point is that the constitutional text has cleared parliament and is moving to a nationwide vote, keeping pressure on an already contested political transition.
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