In the spotlight: a parliamentary return under high tension in Senegal

Published on : 13/09/2022 – 10:23

« After 10 turns of the clock and intense discussions, the National Assembly yesterday suspended the continuation of the return to parliament, points the information site Dakar News. Office set-up will continue this morning at 11 a.m. This was indicated by the new President of the Assembly, Amadou Mame Diop, after his election by the 83 deputies of the presidential majority. As a reminder, continues Dakar News, the opposition parties, Yewwi Askan Wi and Wallu Senegal, abstained from voting after denouncing the installation procedure. Clashes and even strong fights broke out in the hemicycle to the regret of a large majority of Senegalese. »

“Boiling” personalities

In effect, “ the gendarmes invaded the hemicycle, exclaims the news site Rewmi. No sooner had the vote to elect the President of the National Assembly started than the opposition deputies, including Guy Marius Sagna, threw their ballot papers on the ground, instead of putting them in the ballot box. To make things happen, the gendarmes therefore invaded the hemicycle, in front of the cameras of the RTS. »

« National Assembly: Amadou Mame Diop inherits the perch… after a chaotic day, notice Seneweb. He will have the immense task of keeping a hemicycle filled with fiery personalities in check. »

Battle for positions?

For his part, the former Minister of Energy under President Macky Sall, Thierno Alassane Sall, now a simple deputy, expresses his concern in the columns of the daily 24 Hours: “ the newly elected are only interested in the positions, he says. And worse, they chose to do it in front of the Senegalese. The much-heralded breakup will not be there. While the Senegalese are in difficulty, their deputies are there bickering. »

Who of 2024?

The information website Seneplus talk louder : ” when a president of a parliamentary session can call on the forces of order to monitor, contain and organize the election of the president of the Assembly, it can be akin to a coup d’etat. Crawling, standing… In motion towards 2024. This September 12 indeed announces what will happen for sure in the presidential election of 2024, exclaims Next. When the gendarmes are brought in for the election of the office of the Assembly, resorting to the army to impose a third candidacy (for the presidential election) is no longer impossible… »

Elbow to elbow…

« Unprecedented boxing fight in the ring of the Senegalese National Assembly! “, throws on his side You cut it in Burkina Faso. ” A fight which pitted the deputies of power against those of a split opposition which found itself with several candidates in the race for the succession of Moustapha Niasse. The pugilists of Yewwi Askan Wi and Wallu Senegal, who had put 80 seats in their common purse at the end of the recent legislative elections, could not fight under the same colors of the united opposition. However, together, recalls WakatSéra, they had familiarity with the presidential party, Benno Bokk Yakaar, which garnered 82 elected representatives, narrowly snatching the absolute majority thanks to the reinforcement of a kingmaker named Pape Diop. Finally, on this day of voting for the boss of the Assembly, the opponents threw in the towel giving an inglorious victory to the champion of the majority, in this case, Amadou Mame Diop who becomes the boss of the ring, sorry for the hemicycle, with 83 votes for 84 voters. »

Democratic maturity?

Finally, point The countrystill in Burkina Faso, “ the configuration of the Assembly reveals the dynamism of Senegalese democracy. Contrary to what many African parliaments have accustomed us to seeing, with overwhelming majorities of MPs from the ruling party, here the gap is very small. This reflects the political maturity of the Senegalese people (…). The Senegalese who have shown that they do not intend to give President Macky Sall a free hand to do what he wants, but that, on the contrary, they intend, through the large number of opposition deputies, have a say in the political affairs of their country, and exercise tighter control over government action. »

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