During the closing ceremony of the Senate’s first ordinary session, the institution’s president addressed the executive branch with a firm call for reform. Huguette Yvonne Nyana Ekoume-Awori advocated for a significant rationalization of parliamentary activities through the “egalitarian transmission” of legislative documents between the National Assembly and the Senate, seeking to uphold the true principles of a bicameral system.

The head of the upper house emphasized that the constitutional framework of bicameralism should not be reduced to a mere recording chamber that simply reacts to the government’s timeline. Aside from specific texts governed by the principle of preeminence, such as finance bills and constitutional amendments, the president is calling for a fresh approach to how draft laws are introduced.

The Senate seeks respect for its legislative mandate

Huguette Yvonne Nyana Ekoume-Awori urged the government—represented by Vice-President Hermann Immongault and several ministers—to foster greater fluidity and speed within the parliamentary shuttle. By ensuring an equitable and alternating distribution of texts between the two chambers from their initial review, the executive could help avoid a persistent structural bottleneck that complicates parliamentary duties.

Re-establishing this equilibrium is intended to resolve the chronic congestion of files within a single assembly. Moreover, it aims to prevent the erosion of legislative quality, which is frequently compromised by a “dictatorship of urgency” that undermines rigorous deliberation. This institutional appeal serves as an invitation for more harmonious cooperation between powers, ensuring that the legislative process respects the specific prerogatives of the Senate.