Exiled in France for several months due to security concerns, Senegalese journalist and media mogul Madiambal Diagne has spoken out in an exclusive interview with Le Quotidien. He announced plans to file a request to annul the international arrest warrant issued against him and offered an uncompromising analysis of the country's ongoing political crisis. Diagne expressed his eagerness to return to Senegal and reunite with his loved ones.
Diagne voiced his confidence in the current government's ability to deliver justice, praising Prime Minister Al Aminou Lô, Justice Minister Moussa Sarr, and Interior Minister Mouhamadou Makhtar Cissé for their integrity. He accused former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, as well as former ministers Bamba Cissé and Yassine Fall, of orchestrating a campaign against him under the previous administration.
According to Diagne, the rejection of the 2026 Supplementary Finance Law (LFR) by PASTEF lawmakers in the National Assembly was a deliberate move to exert pressure on President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. Diagne claimed that Sonko's goal was to negotiate the return of PASTEF ministers who had left the government by threatening to disrupt Senegal's relations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The journalist described the blockage of the LFR as "political blackmail" and urged President Faye to use his constitutional powers to dissolve the National Assembly. Diagne argued that the government's budget execution could continue through ordinances or reserve mechanisms until a new legislature is established.
Diagne's comments come amid a tense political climate in Senegal, where the opposition has been critical of the government's policies. The rejection of the LFR has sparked concerns about the country's economic stability and its ability to secure funding from international institutions.
The situation has sparked a strong reaction from various quarters, with some accusing PASTEF lawmakers of betraying the Senegalese people. Professor Mary Teuw Niane, for example, expressed disappointment with the opposition's stance, while Finance Minister Cheikh Diba defended the government's budget plans.
As the political standoff continues, Diagne's call for the dissolution of the National Assembly has added fuel to the fire. With the country's economic and political stability hanging in the balance, Senegalese citizens are eagerly awaiting a resolution to the crisis.
Key points
- Madiambal Diagne plans to request the annulment of the international arrest warrant against him.
- Diagne accuses Ousmane Sonko and other former ministers of orchestrating a campaign against him.
- The journalist urges President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to dissolve the National Assembly.
