Senegal judges reject constitutional change that would reduce presidential powers

DAKAR, Senegal — Senegal's top judicial body rejected a constitutional amendment aimed at expanding the role of parliament and reducing presidential powers.

The new law was passed last month, but the government said it would be put to a referendum. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had challenged the legality of the procedure and requested an emergency review at the Constitutional Council.

The council on Thursday evening ruled the law was unconstitutional, effectively halting one of the parliamentary majority’s cornerstone projects.

The debate over constitutional reform comes as political tensions have risen between Faye and his former prime minister, Ousmane Sonko.

Sonko was dismissed and elected as the president of the National Assembly earlier this year. Their alliance, which had brought them to power in March 2024, gradually disintegrated. A new prime minister has since been appointed, and the formation of a new government is expected.

The opposition views the initiative, proposed by Pastef, Sonko’s party, as political revenge by the former prime minister, who retains significant influence over the parliamentary majority.

The reform would strengthen parliament’s powers, replace the Constitutional Council with a new Constitutional Court and impose stricter controls on the president’s power to dissolve the National Assembly.

Sonko welcomed the decision by the council, saying it is binding. "This cycle reminds us that in a democracy, when institutions play their role, each within its sphere of influence, no crisis can arise," he said.