Members of the 14th legislature yesterday adopted by a majority the bill n°10/2023 on the revision of the Constitution, supported by the presidential camp, the members of the Pds and Taxawu Senegaal, but criticised by Yaw. According to Ismaïla Madior Fall, Minister of Justice, the purpose of this bill is to repeal and replace the provisions of article 29.

Determined against the Bill 10/2023 the project revising the Constitution and relative to setting new sponsorship rates for the presidential election, these MPs failed to beat the presidential majority, which was supported by the Senegalese Democratic Party and Taxawu Senegaal.

After 49 interventions and more than 6 hours of heated debate, Bill 10/2023 revising the Constitution was adopted by the parliamentary majority (123 votes in favour, 2 against and 33 abstentions). As a result of this act, the number of citizen sponsors required to take part in the presidential election was reduced, following the narrowing of the ceiling and floor, initially set at 1 and 0.8% of the general electoral roll. This reform introduces an optional sponsorship system, which now combines, on the one hand, sponsorship by citizens with a maximum of 0.8% and a minimum of 0.6%, calculated on the basis of the general electoral roll and, on the other hand, sponsorship by elected representatives with 8% of MPs making up the National Assembly or 20% of the heads of territorial executive bodies, including mayors and/or departmental council chairmen. 

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According to Ismaïla Madior Fall, Keeper of the Seals, Minister of Justice, this constitutional revision consolidates and aims to deepen Senegalese democracy, but also to replace the provisions of article 29.  

Defending the text, the Minister of Justice believes that this draft constitutional amendment aims, while guaranteeing the conditions of legitimacy, to relax the conditions for submitting candidatures for the presidential election, particularly those relating to sponsorship. « From now on, in order to be admissible, all candidacies must be sponsored by at least 0.8% of the voters on the electoral roll and no more than 1%. This is the end of discrimination », said Minister Ismaïla Madior Fall yesterday.

« Democratic progress”

While the debate was heated, the Minister of Justice asked the President of the National Assembly and the MPs to adopt the text without changing a comma. He believes that sponsorship, with its diversification and optional nature, is « unquestionably a step forward for democracy ». In his view, the sponsorship of persons holding the office of mayor or deputy is based on their status as voters, not on their status as mayor or deputy. As a result, he said, these people can only sponsor one candidate.

On the proposed reform concerning sponsorship for legislative elections, the Minister noted that the Constitution only regulates sponsorship for presidential elections.

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In response to a question about the sponsorship of a candidate or a candidacy, he stated that the text uses both formulas equally and that both are valid. With regard to the risk of regional sponsorship, the Minister also said that he had taken due note of the comment made. In the same vein, it was suggested that citizen sponsorship should be replaced by « sponsorship by citizens », to guarantee an inclusive presidential election.

In adopting this bill, the MPs emphasised that this « reform » constitutes a major advance for Senegalese democracy and makes it possible to justify the legitimacy of a presidential candidacy.

« We agree to this filter, provided that our concerns are taken into account », stated Bara Gaye, Yewwi deputy mayor of Yembeul-Nord.

For his part, MP Abba Mbaye maintains that Taxawu Senegaal will vote in favour of all the projects resulting from the national dialogue. In a firm tone of voice, he said he assumed responsibility for having taken part in the dialogue, before demanding respect for them. « We politicians must understand that this country does not belong to us. In a democracy, we have a role to play. All the players must do the same. We have enough experience to know that time is the best judge. Let’s respect each other. We will vote for the conclusions of the dialogue », warned the Yewwi MP for Saint-Louis.

However, the Yewwi askan wi MP questioned the relevance of reducing the sponsorship requirement.

Abass Fall: « We won’t have more than six candidates ».

For Pastef MP Cheikh Aliou Bèye, Article 29 is a new filter in addition to the « deal-logue ». In his view, the reform is yet another selection aimed at preventing other candidates from taking part in the next presidential election. The MP criticised the fact that the political dialogue was held outside the Hemicycle. While Abass Fall of Yewwi believes that sponsorship is « unconstitutional » and « undemocratic » which should also be removed from the Constitution. « If we vote for this, we won’t have more than six candidates. We are against sponsorship. I invite all candidates to fight against sponsorship », said Abass Fall from the hemicycle.

By Ousmane SOW 

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH