Why President Faye Dissolved Senegal’s National Assembly, and Why He Has the Power to Do So

Five months after he was sworn in as President of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye has, with immediate effect, dissolved the country’s parliament.

“I have dissolved the National Assembly to ask the sovereign people for the institutional means that would allow me to give substance to the systemic transformation that I promised them,” the 44-year-old head of state said on national television.

With the parliament dissolved, Faye has called for elections, slated for November 17, where it is believed that his party will regain the majority in the parliament, given his popularity with the Senegalese people.

From prison to President of the 18 million people in the West African country, Faye’s rise to power was preceded by political drama and tension. Released 10 days before Senegal’s Presidential election held in March 2024, Faye, along with his political mentor Ousmane Sonko, who was banned from contesting in the election, gained immense popularity and coasted to victory in the polls, defeating Macky Sall’s party in a landslide.

Also Read: From Prison To Leaders: How Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko Rose To Power In Senegal

But Faye and Sonko, who was appointed the country’s Prime Minister, have not had it easy, as the parliament is controlled by the opposition.

In his address, Faye said, “The pledge of a frank collaboration with the parliamentary majority… was an illusion.”

“It has decided to turn its back on the people to pursue its cult of obstruction, thereby blocking the project for which I was elected,” he said.

Faye’s political party, African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF), which his Prime Minister Sonko founded in 2014, only holds 23 seats out of 165 seats in the parliament.

This, according to Faye, has prevented his administration from passing critical bills. For instance, the lawmakers recently blocked a bill to review the constitution, while they passed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Sonko.

This is believed to have been the action that necessitated the dissolution of the parliament and the call for snap elections.

Does President Faye Have the Power to Dissolve the National Assembly?

According to Article 87 of the Senegalese Constitution, the President can dissolve the National Assembly after consulting with the Prime Minister and the President of the Constitutional Council.

“The President of the Republic can, after receiving the opinion of the Prime Minister and that of the President of the National Assembly, pronounce, by decree, the dissolution of the National Assembly,” the constitution states.

However, for this to be valid, the parliament must have existed for at least two years.

“The dissolution may not intervene during the first two years of the legislature.”

Since Senegal’s parliamentary election was held on July 31, 2022, the President has the constitutional right to dissolve the National Assembly.