Political Factionalism in Senegal

Barker, Jonathan

doi:10.2307/483544

Cited by 4 publications

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“…Foltz (1965) emphasised the importance in politics of personal relationships and patronage relations, which have historically been managed by the president through the apparatus of the ruling party. Subsequent scholars continued to explore the paramount importance in politics of patronage (Beck 1997;Fatton 1986), clans and factions (Barker 1973), traditional relationships (Markovitz 1970), religion and religious brotherhoods (Beck 2001;Behrman 1977;Creevy 1985;Villalon 1995). But scholars have not focused on the National Assembly, perhaps because power is concentrated in the presidency.…”

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Liaison legislature: the role of the National Assembly in Senegal

Thomas

Sissokho

2005

J. Mod. Afr. Stud.

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A sparse literature examines African legislatures, generally thought to be weak and unimportant. Unlike many African countries that reintroduced multiparty politics in the 1990s, Senegal did so in the 1970s. In 2000, it joined the select group of African countries to experience democratic alternance. What role does the National Assembly play in light of these important steps in democratic consolidation? This article describes the operation of the National Assembly, with attention to its role in legislation, appropriations, executive oversight, constituent service and representation. The article concludes that despite Senegal's democratic advances, the operation of the National Assembly echoes much earlier studies of other African legislatures. These studies found that the legislatures did not play strong roles in legislation, appropriations or executive oversight, but instead played less formal roles such as constituent service and lobbying the administration for spending in their districts.

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