Senegal’s Constitutional Reform Signals a New Chapter in the Balance of Power

Senegal’s National Assembly has approved a sweeping constitutional reform aimed at reducing the powers of the presidency while strengthening the role of parliament and the prime minister. The move marks one of the country’s most significant institutional changes in recent years, though it has also exposed growing political divisions within the nation’s leadership.

Supporters of the reform argue that it is designed to create a healthier balance between the executive, legislative and judicial branches after decades of what many critics describe as an overly powerful presidency. Among the proposed changes are stricter limits on the president’s ability to dissolve parliament, the creation of a nine-member Constitutional Court to replace the current Constitutional Council, expanded investigative powers for lawmakers and a requirement for the government to keep parliament informed about major natural resource agreements. The reforms would also prevent a sitting president from simultaneously leading a political party.

The vote comes against the backdrop of rising tensions between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and his former ally, Ousmane Sonko, who was dismissed as prime minister before becoming Speaker of the National Assembly. While the ruling Pastef party says the changes are about strengthening democratic institutions, opposition parties accuse Sonko of using parliament to weaken the presidency for political advantage. Demonstrators gathered outside parliament to protest the bill, prompting police to use tear gas and make several arrests.

President Faye has announced that the constitutional amendment will be put to a national referendum, giving Senegalese voters the final say. The outcome will not only determine the future balance of power in one of West Africa’s most stable democracies but will also test whether institutional reform can proceed without deepening political rivalries. At its core, the debate is about more than personalities it is about how power should be shared and checked in a modern democracy.