The Front pour la Défense de la République (FDR) has issued a formal demand for the immediate removal of Ousmane Sonko from his seat in the National Assembly. In a strongly worded statement released this week, the coalition—led by Khalifa Sall—asserted that Sonko’s continued presence in parliament is both illegal and illegitimate.

The FDR’s declaration follows a sweeping show of opposition unity. On May 24, a coalition of 147 political parties and movements signed a joint statement condemning what they describe as a parliamentary coup attempt by the PASTEF party. The opposition has since escalated its challenge by formally petitioning the Constitutional Council to review Sonko’s eligibility to serve as a deputy.

legal challenges and constitutional violations

The FDR’s argument rests on two critical legal pillars. First, it cites Article LO172 of the Electoral Code, which mandates that any elected official who assumes a ministerial position must resign from their parliamentary seat within eight days. The coalition contends that PASTEF attempted to bypass this requirement by altering the Assembly’s internal regulations—a move they argue is unconstitutional.

Second, the FDR highlights a fundamental contradiction in the revised rules. While the changes introduced the concept of “deputy substitutes”, this category does not exist under Senegalese law outside of proportional and departmental electoral systems. The coalition emphasizes that the Assembly’s regulations are strictly procedural and cannot override constitutional or electoral statutes. As outlined in Article 54 of the Constitution, any modification to parliamentary eligibility must be enacted through an organic law incorporated into the Electoral Code—not embedded in internal administrative rules.

The FDR has called on all civic and political stakeholders to join forces in a coordinated action plan to uphold the rule of law and ensure constitutional compliance. The coalition warns that allowing procedural loopholes to undermine legal safeguards risks eroding the foundations of democratic governance in Senegal.

By Mariama Hamani — Analyst