# Senegal mayor defection legislation

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/senegal-mayor-defection-legislation
> Updated: 2026-07-30T20:48:06.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 2.

In late July 2026, Deputy Amadou Ba of the Pastef party introduced a draft law that would strip any mayor who changes party affiliation of their mandate, citing Benin’s electoral code and Senegal’s constitutional provisions that remove parliamentarians who leave their party. The proposal aimed to curb “political transhumance” as local officials were reportedly joining President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s new Kiiraay party, while critics warned of constitutional challenges.

Two days later, the Alliance for the Republic (APR) issued a broader demand that any elected official – mayors, municipal or departmental councillors – who abandons the party under which they were elected should automatically lose their mandate, except independents. APR argued that such defections undermine voters’ original mandate, called for fresh elections, and accused the government of orchestrating defections to manufacture parliamentary majorities.

## Timeline

### 2026-07-30: Senegal's APR demands automatic loss of mandate for party‑switching officials

Senegal's APR denounces elected officials switching parties, calling it “political transhumance,” and proposes automatic loss of mandate for such officials, except independents.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/senegals-apr-demands-automatic-loss-of-mandate-for-partyswitching-officials

### 2026-07-28: Senegal proposes law to remove mayors who switch parties

Senegalese deputy Amadou Ba proposed a bill to strip mayors who change parties of their mandates, citing Benin’s model, as officials defect to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye's Kiiraay party.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/senegal-proposes-law-to-remove-mayors-who-switch-parties

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Cite as: Senegal mayor defection legislation. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/senegal-mayor-defection-legislation