Rejection of the 2026 Amending Finance Bill: The Civil Forum calls for prioritizing the public interest

"Preserving the separation of powers, budgetary debate, budgetary orthodoxy and protecting the population." These are the key words put forward by the Civil Forum/Senegalese Chapter of Transparency International.

In a statement, the organization expressed its deep concern following the rejection, on November 3, 2026, of draft law no. 40/2026 amending the finance law for the year 2026.

She believes that this rejection came in a particularly delicate climate, marked by strong constraints on public finances, negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the opening of the budget session for the adoption of the 2027 Finance Law.

Faced with this situation, the Civil Forum calls on the Government and the National Assembly to "put the general interest, transparency and the protection of the population at the center of their concerns and decisions".

The Civil Forum points out that "the budget amendment responds to a requirement of accountability." According to Article 47 of Organic Law No. 2020-07 of February 26, 2020, concerning finance laws, "the government is required to submit an amending budget when budgetary balances are disrupted, when revenues deviate significantly from forecasts, or when new measures substantially affect budget execution," the note states.

However, the forum believes that while this filing obligation does not constitute adoption by the deputies, the National Assembly has "the prerogative to control government action, to discuss budget assumptions and to obtain the information necessary for an informed decision".

Regarding the adoption of a preliminary question which prevented any general discussion and examination of the draft Finance Law, the Civil Forum, without questioning its legality, believes that, in view of the issues at stake, a substantive public debate, supported by the required documents and admissible amendments, should have allowed citizens to understand the disagreements and the proposed solutions.

The organization stresses that "institutional disagreements must be addressed through appropriate channels, including the timely holding of a budget orientation conference necessitated by the context of parliamentary majority discord."

According to the Civil Forum, such an inclusive approach upstream "conveys a shared vision between the Government and the National Assembly".

Continuing its work, the organization reiterates its past positions. Already in its statement of September 20, 2026, it had raised "the issue of the oversight of special funds and called for greater transparency in the allocation of public resources," a demand that "remains as relevant as ever." Earlier, in its statement of June 22, 2026, it called on the Executive and Legislative branches to protect the country from any institutional dysfunction by prioritizing dialogue in their report on the constitutional review process and to avoid any destabilizing revisions.

Recommendations from the Civil Forum

Recalling that "parliamentary control, budgetary sincerity and continuity of public action require restraint and moderation in view of the challenges of the moment", the Civil Forum formulates several major demands.

First, the organization calls on the Government to "take the regulatory measures governing special funds in accordance with Constitutional Council Decision No. 7/C/2026 of August 25, 2026." Finally, it jointly urges the Government and the National Assembly to "establish an ongoing institutional dialogue before the official submission of any text concerning public finances" and to "prioritize the higher interest of the Nation above all other considerations."