Senegal’s National Assembly has approved a controversial constitutional reform bill following a dramatic parliamentary session that saw opposition MP Abdou Mbow forcibly removed from the chamber and opposition lawmakers stage a walkout in protest.

The bill was adopted by the ruling PASTEF majority after hours of heated debate, marking a significant political victory for National Assembly President Ousmane Sonko and his allies.

Tensions boiled over when Sonko ordered Mbow, leader of the opposition Takku Wallu coalition allied with former president Macky Sall’s Alliance for the Republic (APR), to leave the podium during the debate. After Mbow refused, gendarmes entered the chamber and escorted him out by force, prompting opposition legislators to abandon the session before voting continued.

The reforms are among the most significant constitutional changes proposed since President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the PASTEF party came to power on a promise of sweeping institutional reforms.

The package includes measures aimed at reducing presidential powers, strengthening parliamentary oversight of the national budget, improving transparency and accountability in government, and reinforcing democratic institutions.

However, the reforms have sparked intense political debate, with critics arguing that the final version does not fully reflect PASTEF’s original campaign promises. The vote also comes against the backdrop of reported tensions between President Faye and Sonko over the direction and scope of the constitutional overhaul, fuelling speculation about divisions