Opposition members of the National Assembly have lodged a formal appeal with the Constitutional Council, requesting that the decision by the Assembly Bureau on May 24, 2026, to reinstate Ousmane Sonko as a deputy be declared unconstitutional.
They urge the Constitutional Council to fully exercise its mandate by putting an end to what they describe as a “misconduct” that “undermines the proper functioning” of the parliamentary institution.
Below is the complete text of their statement:
The undersigned opposition deputies in the National Assembly wish to inform the Senegalese people, as well as national and international public opinion, that they have submitted a petition to the Constitutional Council. This petition seeks to invalidate the National Assembly Bureau’s decision of May 24, 2026, which reinstated Mr. Ousmane Sonko as a deputy, on grounds that it contravenes the Constitution.
After being appointed Prime Minister and subsequently elected as a deputy in 2024, Mr. Sonko found himself in a state of incompatibility, as stipulated by Article 54 of the Constitution, immediately following his election. By choosing to retain his governmental responsibilities, he effectively relinquished his parliamentary mandate, in accordance with the Constitution and the internal regulations in force at the time. His subsequent reintegration, followed by his election to the presidency of the National Assembly on May 26, 2026, represents a clear and egregious violation of the Constitution and the fundamental principle of the separation of powers. It is the sole prerogative of the Constitutional Council, as the arbiter of parliamentary mandate validity and regulator of state institutions, to ensure that an act of such gravity does not go unchecked.
Furthermore, we must inform the public that we were compelled to employ judicial summonses to obtain the necessary acts and documents for our appeal. These included the official act of Mr. Sonko’s reintegration and the minutes of the plenary session held on May 26, 2026. Despite being served on June 1, 2026, by Master Abou Sall, a judicial bailiff, both the Secretary-General and the First Vice-President of the National Assembly refused to release these documents. This refusal to provide publicly accessible documents to elected representatives of the nation, even through official judicial channels, constitutes a severe obstruction to the rights of deputies and to democratic transparency.
Consequently, we respectfully call upon the Constitutional Council to fully embrace its role and bring an end to this breach of legal procedure, which threatens the regular operation of the parliamentary body.
We reiterate our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the Constitution and Senegalese democracy through exclusively legal and peaceful avenues. No majority, regardless of its size, stands above the Republic’s foundational law.
The signatory deputies:
Daouda Dia
Aïssata Ousmane Diallo
Amadou Diallo
Raqui Diallo
Mamadou Diaw
Salimata Diop Dieng
Mbaye Dione
Thérèse Faye
Barane Fofana
Cheikh Omar Hann
Birima Mangara
Abdou Mbow
Fabineta Ndiaye
Anta Babacar Ngom
Thierno Alassane Sall
Maguette Sène
Abdoulaye Sylla
Tafsir Thioye
They urge the Constitutional Council to fully exercise its mandate by putting an end to what they describe as a “misconduct” that “undermines the proper functioning” of the parliamentary institution.
Below is the complete text of their statement:
The undersigned opposition deputies in the National Assembly wish to inform the Senegalese people, as well as national and international public opinion, that they have submitted a petition to the Constitutional Council. This petition seeks to invalidate the National Assembly Bureau’s decision of May 24, 2026, which reinstated Mr. Ousmane Sonko as a deputy, on grounds that it contravenes the Constitution.
After being appointed Prime Minister and subsequently elected as a deputy in 2024, Mr. Sonko found himself in a state of incompatibility, as stipulated by Article 54 of the Constitution, immediately following his election. By choosing to retain his governmental responsibilities, he effectively relinquished his parliamentary mandate, in accordance with the Constitution and the internal regulations in force at the time. His subsequent reintegration, followed by his election to the presidency of the National Assembly on May 26, 2026, represents a clear and egregious violation of the Constitution and the fundamental principle of the separation of powers. It is the sole prerogative of the Constitutional Council, as the arbiter of parliamentary mandate validity and regulator of state institutions, to ensure that an act of such gravity does not go unchecked.
Furthermore, we must inform the public that we were compelled to employ judicial summonses to obtain the necessary acts and documents for our appeal. These included the official act of Mr. Sonko’s reintegration and the minutes of the plenary session held on May 26, 2026. Despite being served on June 1, 2026, by Master Abou Sall, a judicial bailiff, both the Secretary-General and the First Vice-President of the National Assembly refused to release these documents. This refusal to provide publicly accessible documents to elected representatives of the nation, even through official judicial channels, constitutes a severe obstruction to the rights of deputies and to democratic transparency.
Consequently, we respectfully call upon the Constitutional Council to fully embrace its role and bring an end to this breach of legal procedure, which threatens the regular operation of the parliamentary body.
We reiterate our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the Constitution and Senegalese democracy through exclusively legal and peaceful avenues. No majority, regardless of its size, stands above the Republic’s foundational law.
The signatory deputies:
Daouda Dia
Aïssata Ousmane Diallo
Amadou Diallo
Raqui Diallo
Mamadou Diaw
Salimata Diop Dieng
Mbaye Dione
Thérèse Faye
Barane Fofana
Cheikh Omar Hann
Birima Mangara
Abdou Mbow
Fabineta Ndiaye
Anta Babacar Ngom
Thierno Alassane Sall
Maguette Sène
Abdoulaye Sylla
Tafsir Thioye
Opposition deputies challenge ousmane sonko’s assembly reintegration in Senegal