On Monday, the 129 deputies present in the National Assembly unanimously endorsed a proposed constitutional revision. This pivotal text, championed by the Pastef party, aims to significantly bolster the powers of both the Parliament and the Prime Minister, while simultaneously redefining the prerogatives traditionally held by the President of the Republic.
However, this reform has quickly ignited a political firestorm. The coalition supporting President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, alongside several opposition parties, has voiced strong accusations, claiming the proposed changes are custom-tailored to benefit Ousmane Sonko, the former Prime Minister who now presides over the National Assembly.
This situation raises critical questions: Are these allegations of a power grab truly justified? What motivated President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to decide on submitting this contentious text to a national referendum? Is this merely a standard democratic consultation process, or does it represent a calculated political strategy designed to reshape Senegal’s governance landscape?
