Senegal President Faye Challenges 2026 Constitutional Amendment in Court

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye filed an urgent appeal before Senegal’s Constitutional Council demanding a ruling on the procedure that led to the adoption of constitutional amendment law n°18/2026, passed by the National Assembly on 29 June 2026. The request, lodged on 6 July 2026, asks for a decision within eight days and argues that the parliamentary process violated constitutional rules.

The move has provoked sharp criticism from the parliamentary group Pastef‑Les Patriotes, which labeled the appeal a “reniement” (reneging) by the president. Pastef points out that the president had previously announced his intention to submit the amendment to a popular referendum, and they argue that the law, adopted with the required three‑fifths super‑majority, is already both adopted and approved. They contend that the president’s challenge implicitly acknowledges the amendment’s final approval, undermining the people’s right to decide.

The dispute unfolds amid a widening rift between President Faye and former prime minister Ousmane Sonko, now president of the National Assembly and leader of the opposition PASTEF party. Their split, rooted in divergent economic policies and a struggle over power sharing, has turned the constitutional revision into a focal point of a broader political confrontation. The Constitutional Council’s pending decision will determine whether the amendment proceeds to promulgation or whether a referendum will be called, shaping Senegal’s institutional trajectory.