Senegal parliament drives constitutional overhaul amid executive clash

Senegal's National Assembly has advanced several constitutional amendments proposed by the majority Pastef‑Les Patriotes group. The changes would limit the Assembly to two motions of censure per year, introduce a French‑style Article 49.3‑type procedure that allows the government to pass the finance bill unless a motion is filed within 24 hours, and restrict the president’s power to dissolve parliament to a single use per term. An additional amendment seeks to define “high treason” in the constitution.

The reforms also call for the creation of a constitutional court to replace the current constitutional council and bar the president from simultaneously leading a political party. The government, represented by Justice Minister Moussa Sarr, has criticised the majority’s unilateral approach and urged a broader national dialogue before any changes. A heated debate in the Assembly saw the majority reject the government’s own amendment package, underscoring growing tension between the executive and the legislature.

Parallel parliamentary business includes a plenary session scheduled for late June to ratify several international agreements – a UN marine biodiversity treaty, a judicial cooperation pact with Gambia, amendments to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and the charter of the World Water Organization – reflecting Senegal’s broader legislative agenda.