Assemblée nationale : après l’expulsion d’Abdou Mbow, l’opposition lance une offensive diplomatique internationale
Opposition MPs are denouncing an "institutional drift" and announcing a broad diplomatic offensive to alert regional and international organizations to the situation in the Senegalese Parliament. The parliamentary opposition has decided to take the fight beyond Senegal's borders. Speaking to the press this Thursday in Dakar, these parliamentarians announced a series of approaches to regional and international institutions to denounce what they consider serious violations of democratic principles within the National Assembly.
In a statement read by independent MP Moussa Hamady Sarr, parliamentarians painted an alarming picture of the country's political and institutional situation. They asserted that the National Assembly, meant to be "the sanctuary of democratic pluralism, respect for the law, and popular sovereignty," has become the scene of a worrying drift marked by repeated violations of the rules of procedure and a challenge to the rights of the opposition. At the outset of his address, Moussa Hamady Sarr emphasized that this initiative came from all opposition MPs, including those who were unable to attend the meeting. According to him, all expressed their solidarity and support for the action taken.
The trauma of the June 29th session
The parliamentarians reiterated their challenge to the legitimacy of the Speaker of the National Assembly, arguing that his appointment to this position resulted from "political and legal coercion." In their view, this precedent reflects a desire on the part of the majority to prioritize power dynamics over respect for the law.
But it was the session of June 29th that truly crystallized their indignation. The opposition considers this day a turning point in the functioning of the parliamentary institution. They assert that members of parliament were prevented from freely exercising their mandate and denounce scenes of intimidation and violence within the chamber itself. The MPs particularly criticize the expulsion of their colleague Abdou Mbow following intervention by the gendarmerie, a decision they deem contrary to the rules of procedure of the National Assembly.
"When a member of parliament is arbitrarily expelled from the chamber, it is the citizens who elected him who are silenced," argued Moussa Hamady Sarr on behalf of his colleagues.
The opposition believes that the intervention of security forces in the parliament building sets a dangerous precedent for the independence of the legislative branch. It demands a full investigation into the circumstances of this operation and directly calls upon the Minister of the Armed Forces to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
National awareness-raising and appeals to global bodies
Beyond simply denouncing the practice, the MPs announced a broad national awareness campaign. Meetings are planned with religious leaders, traditional authorities, civil society organizations, trade unions, academics, youth movements, and women's organizations.
However, the major announcement of this press conference remains the diplomatic offensive that the opposition intends to launch in the coming days. A delegation of members of parliament plans to meet with the diplomatic missions accredited to Senegal, as well as several international partners, to inform them of the situation, which it describes as a threat to the normal functioning of the institutions.
The parliamentarians also announced the official referral to several international and inter-parliamentary organizations, namely the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie (APF), the ECOWAS Parliament, the WAEMU bodies as well as the African Union (AU).
According to them, this approach is not aimed at tarnishing Senegal's image, but at drawing the attention of these organizations to what they consider to be attacks on the independence of the legislative branch, the free exercise of the parliamentary mandate and the democratic principles to which Senegal has subscribed.
“Major democratic breakdowns always begin with the normalization of minor violations of the law,” warned Moussa Hamady Sarr, thus justifying the need to act before the situation deteriorates further. Opposition MPs reaffirmed their commitment to the Constitution, the separation of powers, and political pluralism. While promising to continue their fight with “firmness and determination,” they believe that the issue now transcends the confrontation between the majority and the opposition to touch upon the very foundations of Senegalese parliamentary democracy.
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