Bureau Assemblée Nationale Sénégal: Clarifies DPG Procedure, Date

• The Bureau of the National Assembly in Senegal clarified the procedure for the Prime Minister's General Policy Statement (DPG) following recent initiatives.
• Prime Minister Ahmadou Alhaminou Mohamed Lo proposed September 1, 2026, for his DPG, and the President of the Republic convened an extraordinary session for the same date.
• The Bureau stated that the President of the Republic, not the Prime Minister, is responsible for setting the DPG date and providing an eight-day notice to deputies.
• September 1, 2026, will mark the opening of the extraordinary session, with the DPG date to be set later by the Conference of Presidents.
• This clarification emphasizes the distinction between convening the Assembly and fixing the date for the DPG plenary session.

The Bureau stated that the President of the Republic, not the Prime Minister, is responsible for setting the DPG date and providing an eight-day notice to deputies.

The Bureau of the National Assembly in Senegal recently intervened to resolve ambiguities surrounding the upcoming General Policy Statement (DPG) by the Prime Minister. In a communiqué issued on Friday, August 28, the parliamentary body addressed what it described as a series of confusions regarding the process, the competencies of involved authorities, and the proposed date for the Prime Minister's address.

This clarification became necessary following a sequence of events initiated by Prime Minister Ahmadou Alhaminou Mohamed Lo. On August 24, 2026, the Prime Minister sent a letter to the President of the National Assembly, indicating his readiness to deliver his DPG on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, commencing at 9 AM.

The very next day, August 25, the President of the Republic issued decree n°2026-1530, formally convening the National Assembly for an extraordinary session. This session was scheduled to begin on September 1, 2026, at 10 AM, with the Prime Minister's General Policy Statement as its sole agenda item. These consecutive actions prompted questions that the Bureau sought to answer, particularly noting that the presidential decree did not specify the exact date for the DPG session itself.

The Bureau of the National Assembly emphasized the established legal and regulatory framework governing parliamentary sessions, particularly concerning the opening of an extraordinary session. It recalled that, according to Article 63 of the Constitution and Article 7 of the National Assembly's Internal Regulations, the Assembly can only convene for such an agenda item "by decision of the President of the Republic." This requirement, the Bureau confirmed, was met for September 1 through decree n°2026-1530.

However, the primary point of contention, according to the Bureau, revolved around the authority responsible for setting the specific date of the DPG. Citing Article 109, last paragraph, of organic law n°2025-11, dated August 18, 2025, which pertains to the National Assembly's Internal Regulations, the Bureau highlighted that deputies must receive notification at least eight days prior to the chosen date for the General Policy Statement.

Crucially, the Bureau stated that the President of the Republic, not the Prime Minister, is responsible for setting the DPG date and providing an eight-day notice to deputies. It pointed out that, contrary to both legal provisions and institutional practice, "no date has been proposed by the President of the Republic" for the DPG. Furthermore, the Bureau specified that the eight-day notice period should be calculated from the official opening of the extraordinary session, rather than any earlier point.

The Bureau's clarifications delineate the precise sequence of events for September 1, 2026. That day will be dedicated to the formal opening of the extraordinary session, verifying the quorum of deputies, and subsequently adjourning the session. This means the DPG will not be presented immediately upon the session's commencement.

Following this initial opening, the President of the National Assembly will convene the Conference of Presidents. This body, in accordance with Articles 22 and 77 of the Internal Regulations, will then be responsible for determining the specific date for the DPG plenary session and establishing the modalities for the ensuing debates.

This procedural outline underscores a clear distinction between the act of convening the National Assembly for an extraordinary session and the subsequent, separate process of fixing the date for a plenary session dedicated to the General Policy Statement. The Bureau's intervention thus serves to reaffirm the distinct competencies and roles of various institutional actors within the legislative process, moving the discussion beyond mere calendar scheduling to focus on the proper exercise of authority.

Source: Original reporting via local media