DAKAR, Senegal – Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the country’s government following months of growing tensions between the two leaders.
The shock announcement was made through a presidential decree read on national television on Friday, officially ending Sonko’s tenure alongside that of all ministers and secretaries of state serving in the government.
Okay News reports that the political fallout comes amid worsening economic challenges in Senegal, with the International Monetary Fund estimating the country’s public debt at approximately 132 percent of its gross domestic product.
The dismissal followed a parliamentary session earlier this week in which Sonko publicly criticised President Faye, deepening speculation about a widening rift within the ruling Pastef party.
Sonko, widely regarded as one of Senegal’s most influential political figures and particularly popular among young voters, reacted briefly on social media, saying he would “sleep with a light heart.”
Political analysts have long viewed the relationship between the two leaders as unusual, with Faye’s rise to the presidency heavily tied to Sonko’s support and popularity. Sonko had been barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election due to a defamation conviction, leading him to endorse Faye as his replacement candidate.
The pair went on to secure a historic electoral victory shortly after both men were released from prison less than two weeks before the election.
Following news of Sonko’s removal, several hundred students reportedly gathered in parts of Dakar late Tuesday night to express support for the former prime minister.
Recent reports indicated that disagreements between both leaders had intensified over internal party control and governance style, with President Faye allegedly criticising what he described as Sonko’s excessive personal influence within the ruling movement.
Sonko had also accused the president of failing to defend him against political attacks, highlighting the increasingly fractured relationship at the top of Senegal’s government.
