President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has on Thursday announced the dissolution of the country’s opposition-dominated National Assembly and set a date for new legislative elections for November 17 2024.
The president made the announcement in a televised address, explaining the decision as a step toward fulfilling his promise of systemic transformation.
“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,” Faye stated.
West Africa Weekly earlier reported that Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced on Wednesday that Faye has planned to dissolve the opposition-led parliament and launch a major anti-corruption campaign.
Sonko’s statement was made at a time when the government is facing a censure motion from the opposition, mostly supporters of former president Macky Sall, which still holds a majority in the assembly elected in 2022.
Sonko also announced plans to introduce “new public policy guidelines.” He vowed that there would be zero tolerance for corruption, promising that former leaders would soon be held accountable, with some already barred from leaving the country.
The opposition has blocked some policies proposed by Faye, which has frustrated the government plans. On Monday, the opposition rejected Faye’s proposed bill to abolish the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) and the High Council of Territorial Communities (HCCT).
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