Senegal's President: No 2-Year Gap for Presidential Assets Declaration

• Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had planned to submit a constitutional revision text to a referendum, but the amendment was ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional Council on July 9, 2026.
• The reform included changes to asset disclosure requirements for high-ranking government officials.
• The current law requires only the President to disclose their assets, while others are not subject to the same obligation.
• Lawyers should be advising clients on how these new regulations may impact business dealings with government officials.

The reform of Article 37 aims to expand asset disclosure obligations to include the Prime Minister and the Assembly's President, while currently only the President is required to publish their declaration.

Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has announced plans to submit a constitutional revision text to a referendum, which includes changes to the country's asset disclosure requirements for high-ranking government officials. The move was revealed by Cheikh Bara Ndiaye in a commission meeting, where Minister of Justice Moussa Sarr discussed the possibility of putting the president's assets declaration to a vote at the end of his term. This development comes after President Faye announced on June 29, 2026, that he would submit the constitutional revision text to a referendum, with the procedure already in place for the text. However, on July 9, 2026, the Constitutional Council ruled the amendment unconstitutional, effectively halting the reform.

The reform of Article 37 aims to expand asset disclosure obligations to include the Prime Minister and the Assembly's President, while currently only the President is required to publish their declaration. The government has proposed an amendment to extend this obligation, but the project has faced disagreements over the path forward. Some lawmakers have argued that the Assembly can adopt the revision without popular consultation, while others support using a referendum.

The reform of Article 37 was part of a broader effort to increase transparency and accountability in Senegal's government. The current law requires only the President to disclose their assets, while other high-ranking officials are not subject to the same obligation. The proposed amendment aimed to change this by extending disclosure requirements to include the Prime Minister and Assembly's President. This move sparked debate among lawmakers, with some arguing that a referendum was necessary for such significant changes, while others believed the Assembly could adopt the revision without popular consultation. The Constitutional Council has been involved in the process, with President Faye having previously challenged the procedure used by the Assembly to adopt the text. On July 9, 2026, the Constitutional Council ruled the amendment adopted by the National Assembly unconstitutional, effectively halting the reform. This ruling has brought questions about the role of popular consultation in shaping Senegal's laws to the forefront.

The potential changes to asset disclosure requirements for high-ranking officials in Senegal have significant implications for lawyers and their clients. As the country moves towards greater transparency, lawyers will need to advise clients on how these new regulations may impact their business dealings with government officials. The use of a referendum to pass constitutional revisions also raises questions about the balance between popular consultation and legislative power.

Lawyers should be paying close attention to this development, as it has the potential to reshape the way Senegal's government operates and holds its officials accountable.

Lawyers should watch for potential changes to asset disclosure requirements for high-ranking government officials in Senegal, and advise clients accordingly.

Source: Original reporting via senenews