AA/ Dakar/ Alioune Ndiaye
Amadou Mame Diop, member of the presidential coalition, Benno Bokk Yakaar (BBY), was brought to the head of the National Assembly on Monday evening following an inaugural session which recorded a cascade of incidents.
Due to start at 10 a.m. (GMT), the plenary started more than 4 hours late. Different interpretations, between power and opposition, on the presence at the session of government ministers, elected deputies (Abdoulaye Daouda Diallo, Abdoulaye Seydou Sow, Mariama Sarr) as well as the voting procedure which, according to the opposition, does not guarantee transparency ..
This led to intermittent blockages of the session by deputies from Yewwi Askan Wi (YAW) and Wallu Senegal, the main opposition forces which together account for 80 of the 165 deputies.
Verbal and even physical clashes thus marked the session, making it impossible to hold the vote. The oldest member and president of the session, Aida Sow Diawara, finally appealed to the gendarmerie who held the members of the opposition at bay to start the vote.
It was in this unprecedented atmosphere that the vote took place which consecrated Amadou Mame Diop, new president of the national assembly with 83 votes in favor and an invalid ballot. Opposition MPs who had three candidates for the post declined to vote.
Present during the 2012-2017 legislature, Diop becomes the 12th personality to hold this position since 1960.
It should be noted that three parliamentary groups have been formed for this 14th legislature. One for the presidential coalition led by former minister Omar Youm and two for the opposition on behalf of the two main coalitions, namely Yewwi Askan Wi and Wallu Senegal. Birame Soulèye Diop and Lamine Thiam lead these groups respectively.
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