The political landscape in Senegal has reached a breaking point as the National Assembly passed a series of constitutional reforms designed to systematically dismantle the authority of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.
Driven by the Pastef party, which commands a massive majority in the legislature, these changes represent a calculated power grab by parliamentary Speaker Ousmane Sonko.
The reforms include the creation of a new Constitutional Court, restrictions on a president’s ability to lead political parties, and expanded investigative powers for lawmakers to scrutinize government resource agreements.
This legislative maneuvering follows the public collapse of the alliance between Faye and Sonko, which culminated in Faye firing Sonko as prime minister earlier this year.
While the Pastef party claims these measures are intended to improve the separation of powers, the opposition and civil society groups have decried the move as an act of political retribution.
Outside the parliament, police were forced to deploy tear gas to disperse protesters, while inside, opposition members staged a walkout in a futile attempt to halt the proceedings.
With the government now floating the idea of a national referendum, the path forward remains mired in uncertainty as the two former allies continue their high-stakes battle for control of the country.
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