Ousmane Sonko, leader of the Patriotes movement, has sharply criticised the presidential decree process, drawing parallels between recent high-profile dismissals and the delayed announcement of local elections. In a pointed statement, he highlighted that while the president has the authority to remove officials like Fadilou Keïta from the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations or Waly Diouf Bodiang from the Port Autonome de Dakar, the same mechanism should apply to setting an election date.
« Removing officials by decree is within the president’s powers, but so is fixing the election date. Both are administrative acts,» Sonko asserted during a recent rally in the Ndiambour region, where he was greeted by a massive turnout. His remarks come amid escalating pressure on the presidency to finalise the electoral calendar before the legal window closes.
The urgency of the situation was underscored by electoral expert Djibril Gningue, who warned that the president has only a few days left to sign the decree before the timeline becomes legally unworkable. Sonko’s rallying cry against any postponement of the polls reflects a broader push against delays, which he has consistently opposed since launching his voter card distribution campaign in late July.
Tensions between the executive and legislative branches have intensified, with the National Assembly president directly challenging the president’s inaction. As of now, no decree has been issued to convene the electoral body, leaving the political landscape in a state of growing uncertainty.