Ousmane Sonko has strongly criticized the recent constitutional revision process in Senegal, accusing President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of tampering with the text to suit personal interests. Speaking after the National Assembly’s adoption of the reform, Sonko emphasized that the Constitution does not belong to the head of state, stressing that any manipulation of its content is unacceptable.
In a scathing critique, Sonko highlighted the president’s alleged selective approach to the constitutional amendments, stating that provisions deemed inconvenient were excluded. He specifically pointed to the omission of mandatory asset declarations at the end of a presidential term and the prohibition on the president leading a political party—key measures he argued should have been preserved. “On what grounds can one individual cherry-pick which provisions align with their interests?” Sonko questioned, calling the process illegitimate.
Reaffirming the constitutional hierarchy, Sonko clarified that the president is not a constituent power. He distinguished between the derived constituent power, vested in the National Assembly, and the original constituent power, which resides with the people when consulted via referendum. “The Constitution is a collective framework, not a personal tool,” he asserted.
