Rejection of the 2026 Amended Finance Bill Fuels Government Tensions

The National Assembly’s Finance and Budgetary Oversight Committee rejected the entire 2026 amended finance bill on Friday, October 23, along with the government’s two proposed amendments. The setback has heightened tensions between the executive and the Pastef parliamentary majority ahead of a plenary session scheduled for October 27. Economy, Finance and Planning Minister Cheikh Diba and Budget Minister Delegate Bassirou Sarr had defended the bill. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko had called for tighter controls on special funds and greater transparency in public finance management.