Sudanese Professionals call for swift formation of Legislative Council

The Sudanese Professionals’ Association (SPA), which led the protest movement in Sudan, has called for the transition period to be brought to a close by accelerating the formation of the Legislative Council (parliament), Anadolu has reported.

“This is the way to monitor the performance of the next government, its programmes and its work in improving economic conditions, achieving the goals of the revolution, building real institutions and fighting corruption,” said the SPA. “We are keen to complete the transitional power structures stipulated in the constitutional document, build trade unions, implement the peace agreement, improve economic conditions and achieve accountability and transitional justice.”

On 19 November, the Forces of Freedom and Change, Sudan’s ruling coalition, announced the extension of the deadline for the formation of the Legislative Council to 31 December. It was supposed to have been in place by 17 November, according to the constitutional document for the transitional phase.

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On 5 November, the SPA objected to the council’s ratios as submitted by the Forces of Freedom and Change. The association said at the time that it had “discussed details provided for the formation of parliament according to percentages that contradict the constitutional document, granting 55 per cent for the Forces of Freedom and Change, 25 per cent for the Revolutionary Front, and 20 per cent for the military component of the Sovereignty Council.”

The constitutional document, signed on 17 August 2019, provided for the formation of a parliament composed of 300 members, reserving two-thirds of the seats for the Forces of Freedom and Change.

On 3 November, the Sudanese authorities extended the validity of the constitutional document for a further 14 months — making 39 months in total — starting from the date of the signing of the Juba Peace Agreement last October.