Senegal’s president dismisses prime minister Ousmane Sonko amid rising tensions
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially terminated Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s duties and dissolved the entire government on Friday evening, following months of escalating disagreements between the two leaders.
A statement delivered on national television by the presidential secretary-general, Oumar Samba Ba, confirmed the decree, stating that the president had “put an end to the functions of Mr. Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister, and consequently to those of the ministers and state secretaries.”
The outgoing cabinet has been instructed to handle current administrative matters until further arrangements are made.
From opposition to power struggle: the rise and fall of Ousmane Sonko
Once a vocal opponent of former President Macky Sall (2012–2024), Ousmane Sonko was barred from contesting the February 2024 presidential election after a defamation conviction stripped him of his civic rights. Mass protests erupted nationwide against then-President Sall’s potential bid for a third term, prompting Sonko to rally behind his close ally, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, as an alternative candidate.
Sonko’s charismatic leadership and panafricanist rhetoric had ignited fervor among Senegal’s disillusioned youth, positioning him as a key figure in the 2024 election campaign. However, his influence—once a driving force behind Faye’s electoral victory—soon became a source of friction within the new administration.
Rising discord leads to decisive action
Over recent months, tensions between President Faye and Prime Minister Sonko had intensified, culminating in irreconcilable differences that left little room for compromise. The announcement of Sonko’s dismissal triggered an immediate wave of support, with his followers gathering outside his residence in the Dakar neighborhood of Keur Gorgui, chanting his name in solidarity.
Sonko took to social media to express his relief, posting on Facebook: “Alhamdoulillah. Tonight, I will sleep peacefully at home in Keur Gorgui.”
Political implications and the future of governance
Sonko’s Patriotes africains du Sénégal pour le travail, l’éthique et la fraternité (PASTEF) party holds a commanding majority in Senegal’s National Assembly after securing a landslide victory in the November 2024 legislative elections. This political dominance underscores the challenges ahead for President Faye as he navigates governance without his former mentor’s backing.
