President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signs sweeping electoral code changes
On May 12, 2026, His Excellency President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye enacted Law No. 2026-10, a comprehensive revision of the electoral code. Just five days prior, the National Assembly had approved the amendment by a three-fifths majority, establishing stricter and more transparent rules governing voter ineligibility. Published in a special edition of the Official Gazette dated May 15, 2026, the law bears the signature of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and addresses a long-standing demand to clarify and regulate eligibility restrictions previously deemed overly vague and potentially oppressive.
Key changes to voter eligibility under the new law
Article L.29 of the electoral code has been fully rewritten. The revised text now specifies four categories of individuals who are ineligible for voter registration:
- Persons convicted of felonies
- Individuals sentenced for serious financial crimes, including theft, fraud, breach of trust, embezzlement, corruption, money laundering, and influence peddling
- Those subject to a court-ordered ban on voting
- Legally incapacitated adults
A major improvement is the introduction of a fixed five-year ineligibility period, effective from the date a conviction becomes final. This replaces the previous ambiguity regarding the duration of civil rights restrictions. Additionally, Article L.30—which previously barred anyone fined more than 200,000 CFA francs for any offense—has been completely repealed.
Why this reform was long overdue
In its explanatory memorandum, lawmakers highlighted the flaws in the old system. Previously, automatic exclusion applied after just three months of imprisonment—even with suspended sentences—or following minor fines, without a clear timeframe for when rights could be restored. This lack of precision, lawmakers argued, failed to adequately protect citizens and exposed the electoral process to arbitrary exclusions that could undermine democratic integrity. The new law refines ineligibility criteria to focus strictly on serious offenses while ensuring transparency and predictability in enforcement.
Political implications of the revised electoral framework
The amendment’s passage with a qualified majority reflects strong parliamentary consensus and arrives at a politically sensitive juncture ahead of upcoming elections. Depending on individual cases, the law may restore voting rights to several figures from opposition or other political backgrounds who were previously barred due to past convictions.
