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Senegal’s Constitutional Council has declined to hear a legal challenge against the reinstatement of former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko to parliament, a decision that effectively secures his position as speaker of the National Assembly.
The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, ends efforts by opposition groups to overturn Sonko’s return to the legislature following his dismissal as prime minister by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye in May.
The court said it lacked the authority to examine the matter, thereby leaving intact the decision that restored Sonko’s parliamentary seat and paved the way for his election as speaker shortly afterwards.
The outcome strengthens Sonko’s influence within Senegal’s political system, placing him in a position that could serve as a significant counterweight to President Faye’s administration.
Faye removed Sonko as prime minister in late May after months of growing tensions and policy disagreements between the two longtime political allies. Following his dismissal, Sonko returned to the National Assembly, where lawmakers overwhelmingly elected him speaker.
The Constitutional Council’s decision was widely anticipated and is final, leaving the opposition with no further legal avenue to challenge Sonko’s reinstatement.
Faye’s rise to the presidency in 2024 was largely attributed to Sonko’s political support. Sonko, leader of the ruling Pastef party, had been widely expected to contest the election himself but was barred from running because of a defamation conviction.
Relations between the two leaders have since deteriorated over differences on key policy issues, including how to address Senegal’s rising public debt.
Earlier this month, Sonko was re-elected as leader of the Pastef party, further consolidating his position within the country’s ruling political movement.
