Senegal’s National Assembly approved a major amendment to its internal regulations on Friday, June 27, with 138 out of 139 deputies voting in favor and only one abstention.
The newly adopted Organic Law No. 10/2025 introduces significant reforms to enhance the legislative and oversight functions of parliament.
Key changes include expanded powers for parliamentary commissions of inquiry—allowing legal summons, public sessions, and direct referrals to the public prosecutor—as well as the creation of a Standing Committee for the Evaluation of Public Policies.
The reforms also pave the way for a parliamentary TV channel, redefine the election process of the Assembly President, increase the size of most Standing Committees from 30 to 35 members, and establish greater transparency in lifting parliamentary immunity.
Ahead of the plenary session set for Saturday, June 28, to examine the 2025 amending finance law, debates continued around several proposed amendments.
While gender parity and the frequency of current affairs questions stirred contention—with some proposals rejected—technical adjustments from the opposition were accepted.
The revised finance bill includes 500.9 billion CFA francs dedicated to clearing state payment arrears, especially in construction and energy, a move welcomed by the private sector.
However, both revenue and expenditure projections have been revised downward, with expected revenues falling to 4,884.3 billion CFA francs and expenditures to 6,580.2 billion.
