Al Aminou Lo rejects televised debate on Senegal’s 2026 budget bill
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Senego
Senegalese Prime Minister Al Aminou Lo has rejected Ousmane Sonko’s proposal for a televised debate on the 2026 supplementary finance bill and referred discussions to Parliament. His response comes as Pastef challenges the bill, particularly over subsidies, investment, taxation and social spending, Senenews reports.
Senegalese Prime Minister Al Aminou Lô has declined Ousmane Sonko’s proposal for a televised debate on the 2026 supplementary finance bill (LFR), saying he would rather devote his time to the government’s urgent priorities. He said Parliament was the institutional forum for budget discussions, reports Senenews.
The refusal comes as a 72-hour strike call adds to social demands and the Pastef party challenges the LFR in its current form. The disagreements concern subsidies, investment, taxation and social spending, among other issues.
Ousmane Sonko said he was ready to debate publicly with the head of government on 19 October 2026, while also saying Pastef’s MPs remained open to a compromise. Al Aminou Lô had previously responded to lawmakers with data and technical explanations during his general policy statement.
Al Aminou Lô’s refusal follows his rejection the previous day of the budget debate proposed by Ousmane Sonko, announced on 22 October in his response to the debate proposal. It follows Pastef’s objections to the 2026 LFR, notably after publication on 21 October of a draft cutting energy subsidies by 30% in Senegal.
