DAKAR, Senegal — In a political maneuver that has sent shockwaves through the nation’s capital, Ousmane Sonko was officially elected President of the National Assembly this Tuesday, May 26, 2026. The extraordinary plenary session, characterized by its breakneck speed, saw lawmakers first reinstate Sonko to his parliamentary seat before elevating him to lead the institution. This rapid ascent was facilitated by the overwhelming majority held by the Pastef party, which controls 130 of the 165 seats in the Assembly.
The proceedings were not without intense friction. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye made a high-stakes, last-minute attempt to halt the election by referring the case to the Constitutional Council. However, the Council declared itself incompetent to intervene, ruling that the matter was governed strictly by the Internal Regulations of the National Assembly. This judicial green light paved the way for the Pastef majority to proceed, despite vehement outcries from the opposition. Critics have labeled the move an “institutional power grab,” while legal scholars remain divided over the legality of Sonko’s reinstatement under Article 54 of the Constitution.
This stunning comeback occurs just four days after Sonko was dismissed from his role as Prime Minister by President Faye on May 22. His immediate transition from the executive branch to the helm of the legislature represents an unprecedented trajectory in Senegal’s political history. With Sonko now commanding the parliamentary institution, the traditional balance of power at the summit of the State has been fundamentally reshaped, signaling a new and potentially volatile chapter in Senegalese governance.
