Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has appointed veteran magistrate Ousmane Diagne as president of the Constitutional Council, placing one of the country’s most experienced jurists at the helm of the institution responsible for safeguarding the Constitution and overseeing electoral disputes. The appointment, confirmed in a presidential decree signed on July 13, 2026, follows the death of former Constitutional Council President Mamadou Badio Camara. Diagne, who was already serving as a member of the council, now assumes leadership of the country’s highest constitutional body. The Constitutional Council is tasked with reviewing the constitutionality of laws, validating presidential and parliamentary election results, adjudicating electoral disputes and ensuring that constitutional procedures are respected.
Diagne brings decades of judicial experience to the role. Throughout his career, he has served as Prosecutor General at the Dakar Court of Appeal, First Advocate General at the Supreme Court and Minister of Justice before joining the Constitutional Council. According to local media, President Faye selected him from a shortlist of senior judicial figures with extensive legal experience. His appointment comes at a critical time for the council following its recent decision to invalidate a constitutional amendment passed by the National Assembly. After the legislation was referred to the court by President Faye, the council ruled that the amendment had not been adopted in accordance with the procedures required under Article 82 of Senegal’s Constitution, rendering it unconstitutional.
The ruling marked a significant setback for constitutional reforms backed by the parliamentary majority led by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. Sonko accepted the judgment, reaffirming his government’s commitment to respecting the rule of law and the independence of state institutions. The Constitutional Council has become increasingly influential in Senegal’s democratic process. In 2024, it overturned former President Macky Sall’s decision to postpone the presidential election, a landmark ruling that cleared the way for elections that brought Bassirou Diomaye Faye to power. Diagne’s appointment is expected to strengthen the council’s role as Senegal continues implementing political and constitutional reforms under the new administration.
