LFR 2026: Pastef reiterates its demands and says it is open to dialogue

On the eve of the examination in plenary session of the amended finance bill (Lfr) 2026, scheduled for this Tuesday, the Pastef/Les patriotes parliamentary group reaffirmed its five demands before any concession on its positions. Faced with the press this Sunday, October 25, 2026, its officials returned to the Prime Minister’s exit and reiterated their availability to dialogue with the Government.

The Pastef/Les patriotes parliamentary group is maintaining the pressure on the eve of the plenary examination of bill no. 40/2026 relating to the amending finance law (Lfr) for the year 2026, tomorrow Tuesday. After two days of work in the Finance and Budgetary Control Committee, the majority deputies refused to adopt the text as it stands. In front of the press yesterday, they justified their position while reaffirming their “openness to dialogue” with the Executive.

The first vice-president of the National Assembly, El Malick Ndiaye, made it clear that the president of the National Assembly was “neither directly nor remotely involved” in the examination of the Lfr. According to him, the discussions are taking place between the Ministry of Finance and the Finance and Budgetary Control Commission, as part of the dialogue between the government and the National Assembly. He believes that the government has already incurred the expenses that it is asking MPs to authorize through the Lfr. Mr. Ndiaye also rejected the accusations of “obstruction”, considering that the National Assembly has accomplished its mission and that the government must now assume its responsibilities. Referring to article 86, paragraph 6, of the Constitution, Malick Ndiaye invited the head of government to resort to a vote of confidence if he intends to take responsibility. “The Prime Minister just has to make a vote of confidence, he just has to take his responsibilities,” he said.

Five requirements before any concession

Mr. Ndiaye was also skeptical about the government’s ability to meet the expectations of the Senegalese. He accuses him of being engaged in a “permanent electoral campaign”.

The president of the parliamentary group, Mohamed Ayib Daffé, criticizes the Prime Minister for wanting to “throw Pastef and its leader out to pasture”. He also denounced his attitude towards the parliamentary majority. “With zero MPs, he leads an illegitimate government. He has no respect and no consideration for MPs,” he said.

Despite these differences, Mohamed Ayib Daffé reaffirmed the availability of his group to engage in discussions with the Executive. However, he specified that these should follow a process determined in committee, then with the parliamentary group, then with the President of the National Assembly.

Basically, Pastef maintains five demands which it considers to be preconditions for any concession on its positions. The first concerns the preservation of public investment and social priorities. The parliamentary group is calling for an adjustment of non-essential spending as well as a review of cuts affecting the social sectors and the structuring projects of the National Transformation Agenda.

The second requirement concerns the protection of household purchasing power, in particular through reducing the cost of energy. The deputies also demand transparency on the 120 billion FCFA of the Autonomous Contingent Emergency Response Project (Cerp) and on the agreements concluded with the World Bank.

The third concerns the reduction of the State’s lifestyle, with control of non-priority operating expenses and the implementation of the parapublic sector rationalization program, in particular by the elimination of 19 entities. Pastef also calls for better supervision of special funds. Finally, the parliamentary group demands more budgetary sincerity and transparency on the public debt. In particular, it requests details on the State’s financial commitments and the debt sustainability trajectory.

Mamadou Lamine DIÈYE