Senegal proposes law to remove mayors who switch parties

Deputy Amadou Ba of the Pastef party has introduced a draft law that would force any mayor who joins a different political formation to lose their mandate. Ba cites Benin’s electoral code, where a mayor who loses the confidence of his party can be removed by a council vote, and points to article 60 of the Senegalese Constitution that strips parliamentarians of their seats if they resign from their party. The proposal aims to curb "political transhumance" amid reports that local officials are joining President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s new Kiiraay party. Critics argue the bill targets only mayors, leaving councillors untouched, and question its constitutional consistency, warning the Constitutional Council may intervene if the measure reaches parliament.