The Senegalese National Assembly has approved a sweeping constitutional reform bill this Monday, June 29, 2026, with 129 ruling-party Pastef deputies casting votes in a session boycotted by opposition lawmakers.
Following the vote, Assembly President Ousmane Sonko raised concerns about key discrepancies between the final text and earlier commitments made by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye regarding transparency measures.
Sonko underscored the importance of integrity in governance, questioning the president’s shifting stance on asset declarations. “We still hold hope. There’s never a wrong time to return to fundamental principles—the very soul of our political movement. His recent shifts in position are truly perplexing,” he remarked, addressing Faye directly.
The debate centers on a provision requiring the president to publicly declare their assets both at the beginning and conclusion of their term. Sonko highlighted that this pledge was a cornerstone of Faye’s election campaign, with video evidence confirming his earlier stance.
“How can a single individual unilaterally decide which parts of this commitment align with their interests and which do not? That is simply unacceptable,” he asserted, emphasizing that campaign promises must not be reneged upon without justification.
These tensions expose growing fissures between the two leading figures, despite their shared political legacy as architects of the Pastef party’s 2024 presidential victory.
