President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s strategic maneuver blocks Ousmane Sonko’s parliamentary victory

While the majority’s deputies had granted Pastef a legislative triumph by approving the constitutional revision bill with 129 votes, the ultimate decision emanated from the Presidential Palace, completely reshaping the situation. Justice Minister Me Moussa Sarr revealed that President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has decided against initiating the promulgation process for the text as it emerged from the National Assembly. Instead, he has invoked Article 103 of the Constitution to put the reform to a referendum. This choice represents a significant impediment to Pastef’s parliamentary agenda. What seemed like a clear victory for the deputies has been effectively neutralized by the President’s office. Despite the government’s proposed amendments being rejected, the deputies of the majority had endorsed the version crafted during commission work, reinforcing the political will of the bill’s proponents. However, behind the scenes, Bassirou Diomaye Faye…