Barthélémy Dias was unable to count on the Senegalese Constitutional Council to try to recover his seat as deputy for Dakar. Removed from the National Assembly at the beginning of December for a conviction for homicide dating from 2017 which made him ineligible, the opponent turned to the body to have the procedure invalidated. But he was rejected.
1 minute
With our correspondent in Dakar, Gwendal Lavina
In the three-page decision, the Constitutional Council declared itself incompetent to rule on the merits of the case. The Sages explain in particular that revisiting a deliberation of the National Assembly is not within their remit, since it is not a legislative act.
For several lawyers consulted by RFI, this decision marks the end of the suspense for Barthélémy Dias on a possible return to Parliament. According to them, there is no other recourse to invalidate the procedure.
A point of view shared by the opponent’s entourage. One of his relatives recognizes “ that the mandate of deputy is indeed definitively lost » and affirms that Barthélémy Dias is a victim “ of relentlessness on the part of the regime in place and the justice system “.
But there is no question of giving up according to those around him, who praise his combativeness, now 100% focused on the objective of once again becoming mayor of the capital, Dakar. A prefectural decree has in fact stripped Barthélémy Dias of his mandate on December 13. He is awaiting the decisions of the Court of Appeal and the administrative chamber of the Supreme Court, before which he is contesting this order.