Senegal’s National Assembly is set to receive Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Tuesday, February 24, for a closely watched question-and-answer session, marking a significant moment in the country’s Parliamentary calendar.
In a notable shift from the previous plenary sitting, opposition lawmakers have announced they will not boycott the proceedings, signalling a renewed willingness to engage within the chamber.
The session is expected to address a range of politically sensitive matters currently shaping national discourse. Among them are a homosexuality-related scandal stirring public debate, the situation of 18 Senegalese nationals detained in Morocco for hooliganism, and mounting concerns over public debt.
Particular attention is likely to focus on the repayment of more than 267.12 billion FCFA in eurobonds due in early March, a financial obligation that has intensified scrutiny of the government’s fiscal management.
Explaining the opposition’s decision to participate, MP Djimo Souaré — president of the Goudiry Departmental Council and a senior figure within the Alliance for the Republic (APR) in the Tambacounda region — cited adherence to constitutional order. Speaking on RFM radio, he stated that the constitutional conditions governing the handling of current affairs had now been satisfied, clearing the way for formal parliamentary engagement.
Souaré emphasised that the opposition intends to discharge its oversight mandate fully, particularly in relation to ongoing reforms, while maintaining vigilance over procedural compliance.
Against a backdrop of heightened political and social expectations, Tuesday’s sitting is widely anticipated to be robust, reflecting both the gravity of the issues at stake and the evolving dynamics within Senegal’s legislature.