Senegal police fire tear gas at constitutional reform protesters
The reform would require government disclosure of natural resource deals and expand parliamentary inquiry powers, while the government plans a referendum.
- Senegalese police used tear gas to disperse protesters outside parliament during debates on a constitutional amendment expanding parliamentary powers and reducing presidential powers, which critics say could disrupt the government balance.
- Civil society groups and political parties in Senegal accuse the reform of being a power grab by parliament speaker and former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko.
- The dispute over the constitutional reform risks deepening political divisions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Sonko.
- A coalition supporting President Faye has demanded the withdrawal of the bill, insisting the president should retain full powers.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Tear Gas and Tensions: The Constitutional Clash in Senegal
In Senegal, protesters faced tear gas as they demonstrated outside parliament against a proposed constitutional amendment. This amendment aims to increase parliamentary authority while diminishing presidential powers, sparking concerns about power balance disruption that critics warn could destabilize governmental equilibrium.
Senegal police fire tear gas at constitutional reform protesters
Senegalese police fired tear gas on Monday to disperse protesters outside parliament as lawmakers debated a constitutional amendment that would expand parliamentary powers and reduce those of the president, a proposal critics say could upset the balance of power in government.
Winnipeg Free Press
The Hamilton SpectatorSenegalese lawmakers pass divisive reform curbing presidential powers
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Members of Senegal's National Assembly on Monday adopted a controversial constitutional amendment that expands their role and reduces presidential powers, but the government said it will be put to a referendum.
The Senegalese deputies are due to vote on a constitutional reform in the morning of Monday, 29 June, which includes a number of changes in the exercise of the presidential function. Its vote is taken at a time when the latest version of the text is the subject of a weapons pass between the supporters of the Head of State gathered within the Diomaye President coalition and the Pastef led by Ousmane Sonko.
Senegal is facing a new high-risk day. On Monday, the consideration of the draft law for the revision of the Constitution in the National Assembly raises fears of clashes in the vicinity of the Chamber. Several elements converge to explain this concern: calls to protest by opposing camps, deep differences on the method chosen to revise the Constitution and a strong mobilisation expected both of the supporters and of the opponents of the text. Op…
The Senegalese parliament is scheduled to hold a plenary meeting on Monday, 29 June, to consider the draft constitutional review bill submitted by the ruling majority party's deputies, Bastiev, in accordance with a statement by the National Assembly. During the Sunday party's press conference at Dakar, the leaders of the parliamentary bloc defended the draft, confirming that it is based on a long course of national consultations and institutiona…
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