In Sénégal, the recent appointment of a new cabinet by Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô has sparked significant debate. The thirty-member team, notably missing high-profile figures from Ousmane Sonko’s Pastef party, is largely composed of technocrats and close supporters of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. While Faye himself is a Pastef member, the absence of the party’s heavyweights suggests a potential shift in the relationship between the presidency and the movement led by Sonko. Aminata Touré, the general supervisor of the Diomaye Président coalition, shares her perspective on this new political landscape in Dakar.
The new government consists of 30 ministers, including some Pastef members, but lacks the party’s heavyweights. Does this raise concerns regarding democratic or electoral legitimacy?
Aminata Touré: It is essential to remember our democratic foundations. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye secured a clear mandate with 54% of the vote. As is his right, he appointed the Prime Minister and approved the cabinet proposed to him. We are seeing the President’s vision in action, developed in coordination with his Prime Minister. This team represents a commitment to efficiency. Above all, the people of Sénégal want to see progress and hard work.
With Pastef holding a majority in the National Assembly under Ousmane Sonko, many anticipate a difficult cohabitation. Could this hinder the executive’s ability to govern?
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye is a member of Pastef, as are several ministers in this government. This is fundamentally an internal party matter. As long as every individual respects their specific mandates and prioritizes the national interest, we should avoid significant friction. My hope is that no institution is leveraged for personal agendas. Sénégal cannot afford a state of perpetual political drama. If the focus remains on the needs of the population, the National Assembly, the executive, and the judiciary—including the Constitutional Council—will each fulfill their roles effectively. The public will judge us based on our results.
There are reports of friction between Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye regarding the strictness of financial accountability. Does this cabinet signal a retreat from the political ethics promised by Pastef?
On the contrary, this could be the beginning of a transparent accountability process rooted in judicial independence. It is vital to distinguish between accountability and settling political scores. Having served as Minister of Justice, I understand that political rivalry is not a legal basis for conviction. President Bassirou Diomaye Faye remains committed to holding people accountable, but he will not support using the law for personal or political retaliation.
Regarding the national debt, Ousmane Sonko has historically resisted restructuring through the IMF. Will this administration take a different path?
This is a practical challenge rather than an ideological one. When you owe creditors money, you must find a way to settle those obligations, regardless of how the debt was initially presented or managed. We must engage in discussions with our partners about reprofiling the debt. However, these partners must also understand that we cannot repeat the mistakes of the 1980s. The structural adjustments of that era led to severe poverty and the gutting of social programs. We are looking for a sustainable strategy that protects our citizens while managing our financial responsibilities.
Could Pastef’s limited role in this government be seen as an attempt to undermine Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s administration in favor of Ousmane Sonko’s potential 2029 presidential bid?
Ambition is natural in politics, and it is legitimate for individuals to look toward 2029. Similarly, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye may rightfully wish to seek a second term to complete his work. However, the voters are not interested in a three-year-long election campaign; that would be a disservice to them. The current objective for the Prime Minister is transformation and action. While electoral competition is inevitable, sabotaging the government would mean sabotaging the aspirations of the Sénégalese people. Democracy must be allowed to function. We may have differing views, but the country’s welfare must always come first.
