Madar (Dakar) - Senegalese Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo is holding a press conference on Sunday, October 25, 2026, to present the "economic and financial analyses" behind the 2026 amended finance bill, after the National Assembly's finance committee rejected it on Friday "despite the additional information and clarifications provided by the government", the Senegalese Press Agency (APS) reported.
How the standoff developed
The committee began examining the bill last Tuesday, with MPs questioning revenue forecasts, budget trade-offs, public investment planning and energy subsidies, before the session was adjourned by mutual agreement so the government could provide more information. A memorandum presented on Friday did not change the committee's decision.
Pastef leader Ousmane Sonko said on October 19 that his party would not vote for the bill without a framework for political funds. The party, which holds 130 of the 165 seats, then rejected the bill as it stands, calling for a review of cuts to health, education, infrastructure and water, and for protecting purchasing power and lowering energy costs.
What comes next
The bill is due to go before the plenary on Tuesday. Both the government and the party say they are open to dialogue before then, with the prime minister's office reaffirming its "commitment to institutional dialogue". The dispute comes as the authorities try to tackle a public debt crisis estimated at about 132% of GDP.
Update: At his press conference on Sunday, the prime minister told Pastef MPs: "Do not punish the people. Present your amendments", saying amendments were legitimate but that blocking the government's work was obstruction, according to the Senegalese news website Senego. Lo turned down the televised debate proposed by Ousmane Sonko, saying Parliament was the proper forum, and urged the party to turn its press briefings into press conferences open to journalists' questions.
According to the figures presented, the bill lowers state revenue from 6,188.8 billion CFA francs to 5,848.7 billion, sets the deficit at 7.6% of GDP and raises energy subsidies from 250 billion CFA francs to 790.3 billion, while a USD 2.2 billion programme with the IMF still awaits approval by its executive board. Lo said 173 billion CFA francs had been raised under the economic recovery plan (PRES) by the end of September, leading to the deferral of 295 billion CFA francs in spending.
The committee also rejected two government amendments, with the opposition Takku Wallu Senegal group abstaining. The plenary is set for Tuesday, October 27, at 10:00.
