Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced the dissolution of the opposition-led national assembly on Thursday, paving the way for early legislative elections on November 17. In a brief address, Faye cited difficulties in collaborating with the assembly due to their refusal to discuss the budget law and efforts to eliminate wasteful state institutions.

“I dissolve the national assembly to ask the sovereign people for the institutional means to bring about the systemic transformation that I have promised to deliver,” Faye declared. This move aligns with earlier promises by Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko to dissolve the assembly and investigate government corruption.

Faye, who took office in April, defeated the ruling coalition candidate in March and has since vowed to combat corruption and prioritize economic reforms. The new government recently established a commission to review oil and gas contracts, following Senegal’s emergence as an oil producer in June and upcoming gas production at the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim project by the end of the year.