Ousmane Sonko vs Al Aminou Lo: What Lies Behind the Latest Tension at the Top

Prime Minister Al Aminou Lô declined Ousmane Sonko’s proposed public debate on the revised finance bill, saying the discussion belongs in the National Assembly. The president appoints the prime minister and can dismiss him, while the Assembly president has parliamentary influence but cannot independently block the institutions. Pastef holds a majority in the Assembly, where the bill is to be voted on; Article 68 could allow the head of state to implement the law by decree if the Assembly blocks the process. Jurists disagree over the provision’s scope, amid institutional tensions that also included a standoff over constitutional revision in June and July 2026.