Senegal’s National Assembly rejected the revised 2026 finance bill on 3 November by adopting a procedural motion that ended its examination before a general debate on the provisions. The decision followed two earlier rejections in the finance committee and an unsuccessful attempt to reach a compromise.
The Assembly’s subsequent correction explains the different voting figures circulating during the day: 17 proxy votes had been omitted from the initial count, raising support for rejection from 109 to 126. The correction did not change the outcome.
The government’s proposal would have recognised a larger financing gap, increasing the projected deficit from 5.4% to 7.6% of GDP. It also proposed raising energy subsidies to CFA790.3 billion. Contractors awaiting payment, households dependent on subsidised energy and public-investment projects are therefore directly exposed to the continuing impasse.
MP Amadou Ba challenged the credibility of the government’s forecasts, including its deficit estimate and planned externally financed investment. Finance Minister Cheikh Diba rejected the criticism, saying the dispute concerned the government’s economic recovery plan rather than the reliability of the accounts.
The IMF’s September agreement envisages approximately $2.2 billion over 36 months, but remains subject to management and Executive Board approval, corrective action over earlier fiscal misreporting, and financing assurances from partners. AFP said board approval was still outstanding on 3 November. Senegal participates in the same regional government-securities market as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, making its financing difficulties consequential beyond its borders.
After the vote, Diba said President Bassirou Diomaye Faye would take the necessary steps to implement important measures, without specifying the mechanism.