Trending 
Senegal’s National Assembly has passed significant amendments to the country’s electoral code, potentially clearing a legal path for Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko to contest the 2029 presidential election.
The 51-year-old leader was disqualified from the 2024 race due to a conviction, leading him to back his ally, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who ultimately won the presidency.
The new legislation specifically targets the provisions that previously barred Sonko from candidacy, removing a major hurdle to his political future.
The bill was fast-tracked through an emergency procedure and passed comfortably in a legislature dominated by Sonko’s Pastef party, receiving 128 votes in favour.
This legislative move comes amid growing public discussion regarding emerging policy differences between Sonko and President Faye, fuelling speculation that the prime minister intends to seek the top office himself.
While the Assembly has approved the changes, the bill must now be signed into law by President Faye.
Opposition parties, who have criticised the speed of the deliberations, retain the option to challenge the constitutionality of the new rules at the Constitutional Council.
Meanwhile, the presidency has also released a broader set of draft reforms for public review, signalling a wider overhaul of Senegal’s constitutional and political systems.
