Senegal Voluntarily Shrinks Presidential Power as Sahel Neighbors Expand It

Senegal's National Assembly approved a constitutional amendment on June 29 that transfers authority from the presidency to parliament—a reversal of the executive dominance entrenched since independence. The shift stands apart in the Sahel: Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea have suspended or rewritten constitutions to strengthen executive control during electoral pressure. Senegal's government, led by Prime Minister Sonko and President Diomaye Faye, has instead codified institutional constraints ahead of coming elections, reducing space for the executive manipulation that has destabilized regional peers.