Senegal’s Constitutional Court has overturned a parliament-backed amendment that would have reshaped the country’s balance of power, ruling Thursday that the change violated the constitution.
Lawmakers adopted the amendment on June 29. The court said it was “contrary to the Constitution” after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye asked judges to review the procedure for violations.
A central part of the proposed reform would have barred a sitting president from also leading a political party. Faye announced last week that he plans to create his own party.
The reform effort came from the ruling Pastef party, led by National Assembly speaker and former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. Critics argued the amendment was aimed at consolidating Sonko’s influence after Faye removed him as head of government in May.
The split between the two former allies has added to political tension in Dakar. Analysts say the dispute could also distract from efforts to address a fiscal crisis tied to the government’s admission last year that it had misreported public debt.
Sonko responded to the ruling on X, saying he respects the court’s decision.
The decision leaves the current constitutional rules in place and sets up a new test for relations between the presidency and parliament as Faye moves to build his own political base.
