Senegal Constitutional Council invalidates parliamentary constitutional reform

On 9 July 2026 Senegal’s Constitutional Council ruled that the constitutional amendment law (Law No 18/2026) adopted by the National Assembly on 29 June was unconstitutional, nullifying a reform that would have altered the balance of power. The President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, had referred the text, arguing procedural violations – notably the absence of a compensatory budget and breaches of articles 82 and 103 of the Constitution. The Court declared the law “contrary to the Constitution”, stopping proposals such as limiting the President’s role as party leader, strengthening the legislature and prime minister, and creating a nine‑member constitutional court.

Assembly President Ousmane Sonko accepted the ruling, posting on X, “La décision s’impose à tous”. Opposition figures welcomed the decision: Aïssata Tall Sall said “La majorité fait le nombre mais certainement pas la loi”, and civil‑society leader Babacar Ba praised the Council as a “victory of the rule of law”. The ruling deepens the executive‑legislative clash that began after the September‑2024 alliance between Faye and Sonko dissolved, and it leaves the government with three options: draft a new revision that complies with constitutional requirements, submit a revised text to a referendum, or abandon the initiative.

The decision underscores Senegal’s institutional checks and is expected to shape the country’s political agenda in the coming weeks.