In a message published on Facebook, Ousmane Sonko, Prime Minister, responded this Friday, June 28, 2024, to the deputy of his camp, Guy Marius Sagna, who sent him a letter on Thursday, January 27, 2024. Ousmane Sonko indicated that he is impatient to hold his general policy statement, specifying that it is already ready. However, he emphasizes that the internal regulations of the National Assembly do not mention the general policy statement, which prevents him from presenting it in the hemicycle.
Ousmane Sonko recalled that article 55 of the Constitution obliges the Prime Minister to make his general policy declaration before the National Assembly without specifying the deadlines and the procedure, which fall under the Internal Regulations of the National Assembly. He noted that the provisions setting out the deadlines and procedure for the policy declaration, as well as all references to the Prime Minister, were repealed in 2019 following the abolition of the post of Prime Minister.
The current Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly do not take into account the Prime Minister, as they have not been updated following the restoration of the position by the 2021 law. Ousmane Sonko has therefore announced that he will only make his general policy statement before this Assembly once the parliamentary majority has reinstated the provisions relating to the Prime Minister in the Rules of Procedure.
He also warned that if the Assembly does not fill this gap by July 15, 2024, he will deliver his General Policy Statement before an assembly made up of the sovereign Senegalese people, partners of Senegal and a jury composed of academics, intellectuals and apolitical citizen actors, for a free and open debate.
Here is the message from Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko:
Honorable Member of Parliament Guy Marius SAGNA,
I have received your question regarding the Prime Minister’s general policy statement, which calls for the following responses and clarifications from me.
1. My general policy statement (GPS) is ready, and I reiterate my impatience to hold this exercise of presenting the main lines of public policies and the Government’s action following the guidelines of the President of the Republic.
2. Article 55 of the Constitution obliges the Prime Minister to make his DPG before the National Assembly without specifying the deadlines and the procedure which fall under the Internal Regulations of the National Assembly (organic law n° 2002-20 of May 15, 2002, amended).
3. The provisions of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly which set the deadlines and procedure for the DPG, as well as all references to the Prime Minister, have been repealed from the organic law on the rules of procedure of the National Assembly since 2019, following the abolition of the post of Prime Minister (organic law no. 2019-14.
4. The Internal Regulations of the National Assembly in force do not take into account the Prime Minister since they have not been updated following the restoration of the position of Prime Minister by Law No. 2021-41 of December 20, 2021 establishing revision of the Constitution
Consequently, in a constant concern to respect the separation of powers and the principle of legality, I will only hold my DPG before this Assembly once the parliamentary majority has amended itself by re-entering into the internal regulations all the provisions relating to the Prime Minister.
In the event of a failure of the Assembly, by July 15, 2024, I will deliver my General Policy Statement before an assembly made up of the sovereign Senegalese people, partners of Senegal and a jury composed of academics, intellectuals and apolitical citizen actors. This will be an opportunity for a free, open debate and, for sure, of much higher quality.
Correct – Correct – Correct
