A political upheaval of historic proportions has rocked Senegal and reverberated across the wider West African region. On Friday, May 22, 2026, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially terminated the mandate of his Prime Minister and former political mentor, Ousmane Sonko. This decisive action immediately dissolved the government, signaling an abrupt end to the executive partnership that had guided the nation since the change of power in April 2024.
presidential decree 2026-1128: the official declaration of separation
The shockwaves spread throughout the evening with the release of a significant official document. President Faye signed presidential decree number 2026-1128 this Friday, May 22, 2026, bringing an immediate conclusion to Ousmane Sonko’s responsibilities as head of government. To formalize this separation, Bassirou Diomaye Faye meticulously invoked the powers vested in him by the Senegalese Constitution, specifically citing articles 42, 43, 53, and 56.
This legal framework establishes the President of the Republic as the guardian of the Constitution, ensuring the regular functioning of institutions, and grants him the discretionary authority to appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister. Article one of the decree unequivocally states that « the functions of Mr. Ousmane Sonko, Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal, are hereby terminated ».
Under Article 2, the decree’s implementation is immediate. Through a constitutional ripple effect, the departure of the head of government automatically triggers the resignation of all ministers and secretaries of state. However, the decree specifies that the outgoing cabinet members are tasked with managing current affairs until a new ministerial team is appointed.
‘diomaye is sonko’: the origins of an unparalleled partnership
To fully grasp the magnitude of this political tremor, it is crucial to recall the uniquely intertwined and symbiotic relationship between the two men. Ousmane Sonko, the charismatic leader of the PASTEF party, had spearheaded a fierce opposition movement against the previous Macky Sall administration. Facing relentless judicial pressure and his definitive disqualification from the presidential race by the Constitutional Council in early 2024, Sonko made a brilliant strategic choice.
While both were incarcerated in the same prison cell following waves of political arrests, Ousmane Sonko designated his secretary-general and most loyal lieutenant, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, as the substitute candidate for their shared vision of systemic change.
Propelled by the iconic slogan « Diomaye, c’est Sonko » (Diomaye is Sonko), the substitute candidate became the embodiment of the popular fervor surrounding the party leader. Freed thanks to an amnesty law just days before the election, the two men conducted a lightning-fast campaign, culminating in Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s triumphant first-round victory on March 24, 2024.
Immediately upon his swearing-in on April 2, 2024, the newly inaugurated president appointed Ousmane Sonko to the position of Prime Minister via decree 2024-921. This marked a first in African political history: a political mentor becoming the institutional subordinate of his own protégé, establishing an unprecedented dual-headed governance structure.
the seeds of discord: from unity to divergence
While the illusion of perfect harmony was meticulously maintained through public statements for an extended period, the practical realities of state power quickly exposed the limitations of this two-headed system, leading to a subtle clash of divergent visions over the months.
On one side, Ousmane Sonko retained his core identity as a sovereignist ideologue and a powerful orator, frequently making direct and assertive pronouncements on international affairs, the renegotiation of mining and oil contracts, and a potential reorientation of partnerships with traditional allies. On the other, President Faye found himself directly grappling with the practicalities of macroeconomic management, regional diplomacy, and the absolute necessity of reassuring financial markets.
The first visible cracks emerged during the cabinet readjustment on September 6, 2025, formalized by the signing of decree 2025-430, which outlined the new government composition. This reshuffle, far from easing tensions, highlighted internal power struggles for control over key ministries between the Prime Minister’s long-standing loyalists and the technocrats promoted by the head of state.
Ultimately, this political cohabitation between a President of the Republic, who holds constitutional legitimacy, and a head of government, who embodied historical popular legitimacy, rekindled the complex dynamic of the “kingmaker.” This created a highly unstable equilibrium where Ousmane Sonko’s constant influence over presidential decisions eventually brought the question of actual authority at the pinnacle of the Republic to a head.
what lies ahead for Senegal?
This dismissal plunges the nation into an entirely uncharted political landscape. By reasserting full control over the state apparatus through this authoritative act, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye definitively frees himself from the moral tutelage of his former leader. He now solely assumes the full scope of his presidential duties.
The significant unknown now lies in Ousmane Sonko’s future stance. Will the PASTEF leader choose silence, a gentle separation, or a return to direct opposition, leveraging his still highly active electoral base? The composition of the next government, anticipated in the coming hours, will provide crucial insights into the new direction President Faye intends to steer his mandate, shaping the future of Senegal political rupture and governance.
