In a departure from the traditional May 28 national dialogue established by former President Macky Sall in 2016, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has unveiled plans for an intensive ten-day consultation period with civil society, political parties, and religious leaders.

«This is a clear statement of his commitment to dialogue», explains Maurice Soundieck Dione, a political science professor at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis. With the president positioning consultation as the cornerstone of his governance approach, these meetings aim to address criticism from opposition parties who argue that key reforms—including the controversial electoral law changes and recently announced constitutional amendments—were pushed through without sufficient input.

Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s address to parliament

Meanwhile, the other half of Senegal’s executive branch, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, is set to address legislators on May 22, just one day after the president’s consultation launch.

While scheduled in line with the national parliamentary calendar, the timing has sparked debate. Analyst Assane Samb suggests that «a better alignment between the two agendas would have been prudent». Political observers like Maurice Soundieck Dione view this as evidence of a «rivalry between partners in governance», with both leaders eager to assert their influence in Senegal’s evolving political landscape.