Biran Gaye
Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko announced on Friday he will not present his government’s general policy declaration before the National Assembly unless parliament reinstates the provisions that authorises the process.
Article 55 of the Constitution requires the Prime Minister to declare government’s policy statement, outlining main policies, plans, and priorities of the current administration before the National Assembly no later than three months after his appointment, according to the previous provisions of the internal regulations of the National Assembly.
Law No. 2019-10 of May 14, 2019 revising the Constitution abolished the position of Prime Minister. According to this constitutional reform, the National Assembly, through organic law n°2019-14 of October 28, 2019, had removed all the provisions relating to the Prime Minister from its Internal Regulations, particularly articles 97, 98, 99 relating respectively to the declaration of general policy, to the question of confidence and to the motion of censure.
Provisions of the Internal Rules of the National Assembly, which set the deadlines and procedures of the DPG, as well as all references to the Prime Minister, have been repealed from the Organic Law on Internal Rules of the Parliament since 2019, following the abolition of the post of Prime Minister (Law organic # 2019-14).
Subsequently, on December 10, 2021, the National Assembly adopted constitutional bill No. 38-2021 which restores the position of Prime Minister. However, since the restoration of the post of Prime Minister, the National Assembly has still not updated its Internal Regulations.
Mr Sonko, in a statement posted on his Twitter page formerly called X, insists he would only make a declaration of his government’s policy statement when parliament’s internal regulations are amended to recognise the process.
Reiterating his commitment to respect separation of powers and principle of legality, the Pastef leader said he would deliver his government’s policy statement to the “sovereign Senegalese people, partners of Senegal and a jury consisting of academics, intellectuals and non-political citizen actors” if the matter is not resolved by July 15, 2024.
“It will be the occasion of a free, open debate and, of course, of a much better quality,” he noted.
The prime minister’s stance divided opinion as the ruling arty affiliated lawmakers support the decision while the opposition lawmakers condemned it.
According to the lawmakers of the Yewwi Askan wi, these provisions were fraudulently reintegrated into the internal regulations in 2021 when the function of head of government was restored, without going through the normal circuit (adoption of an organic law modifying the internal regulations).
Member of parliament Guy Marius Sagna supported Prime Minister Sonko’s decision not to come and present the policy statement, saying the internal regulations of the National Assembly do not recognise the position of prime minister.
“Instead of once again modifying its Internal Regulations in order to reinstate the provisions relating to the Prime Minister repealed by Law No. 2019-14 of October 28, 2019, the President of the National Assembly conducts the work of our institution with false Internal Regulations which refers to provisions on the Prime Minister repealed almost five years ago,” he alleges.
A general policy declaration before a “national assembly that does not reflect the popular will makes no sense”, says former prime minister Aminata Toure, endorsing Sonko’s decision in the ongoing controversy over the declaration of the policy statement.
Mimi Toure further called for the dissolution of the current assembly from July 2024 and the election of new lawmakers that represent the will of the people.
Reacting to the decision of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko to hold his general policy statement (DPG) before a popular jury instead of the National Assembly if the internal regulations are not updated, the deputies of Benno Bokk Yakaar used their majority to cancel the budget orientation debate that was to be held on Saturday, June 29, 2024, says Vice President and member of parliament Abdou Mbow.
The parliamentary group of the collapsed regime used its majority to block the orientation work for the 2024-2025 budget year, which marks the closing of the 2023-2024 ordinary session of the National Assembly.
“Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has reduced the National Assembly to its simplest expression. So, the national representation office which has sovereignly decided to postpone the budgetary orientation debate which was to be held today,” confirms Abdou Mbow in a press briefing on Saturday, further deepening the standoff between the executive and legislature as the debate around the general policy declaration rages on.
