Constitutional Council: Ousmane Sonko’s complete shift in discourse after initial appeasement
Ousmane Sonko has recently displayed a notable inconsistency in his statements regarding Senegal’s Constitutional Council. His rhetoric shifted dramatically from advocating for adherence to its rulings to launching sharp criticisms. During the inauguration of Pastef’s headquarters in Touba, the political leader condemned what he perceives as presidential influence over laws passed by deputies, describing the situation as “grave.”
Ousmane Sonko has distinctly altered his public stance on the Constitutional Council. This evolution in his position appears to have occurred within a mere few days. Following the Council’s decision to invalidate a legislative text adopted by the National Assembly—a text designed to enhance parliamentary powers at the expense of the President of the Republic—the Pastef president had initially urged respect for the ruling.
“This decision is binding on all! (…) In a democracy, when institutions fulfill their roles, each within its sphere of action, no crisis can arise,” Ousmane Sonko had declared at the time. However, during the inauguration event for Pastef’s new headquarters in Touba, the prominent political figure delivered a considerably different message. Addressing his supporters, he vehemently criticized the judgment issued by the seven members of the Constitutional Council.
“The Constitutional Council cannot dictate that deputies must pass laws that are pleasing to the President of the Republic. What is unfolding in this nation is serious,” he asserted. Ousmane Sonko also questioned the Head of State’s frequent appeals to the Constitutional Council. “Every week, he goes to the Constitutional Council,” he remarked, referring to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.