Senegal’s political crisis has entered a new and unpredictable phase after former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko was elected Speaker of Parliament just days after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed him from government.
The dramatic turnaround places Sonko in the second most powerful institutional position in the country and immediately sets up a potential power struggle at the heart of Senegalese politics.
Sonko secured the post after the previous parliamentary Speaker stepped down to clear the way for his election, reflecting the continued dominance of the ruling PASTEF party inside the National Assembly. PASTEF holds a parliamentary majority, and Sonko remains the movement’s most influential political figure despite his removal as prime minister.
The development comes only days after President Faye appointed economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as Senegal’s new prime minister, replacing Sonko amid months of mounting disagreements over economic management, debt policy, and the country’s relationship with international financial institutions. What initially appeared to be a government reshuffle has now evolved into a broader institutional confrontation.
The alliance between Faye and Sonko once symbolised one of Africa’s most remarkable opposition victories. The two men rose to power together after years of political persecution under former President Macky Sall, mobilising huge youth support around promises of anti-corruption reforms, economic sovereignty, and political transformation.
Because Sonko had been barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election following a controversial defamation conviction, Faye ran as the Pastef candidate and won decisively. Many Senegalese voters, however, continued to view Sonko as the movement’s ideological centre and political strategist.
That underlying power balance has increasingly complicated governance. Tensions between the president and his former prime minister intensified over Senegal’s debt crisis and economic direction. Sonko openly criticised the government’s handling of public finances and repeatedly pushed for a more confrontational stance toward international lenders, including the International Monetary Fund.
Senegal’s public debt has climbed to roughly 132 per cent of GDP, placing significant pressure on the government as it attempts to stabilise the economy, reassure investors, and unlock financial support. President Faye and Prime Minister Lo are seen as more pragmatic and more willing to cooperate with IMF-backed fiscal adjustment measures, including spending restraint and economic reforms. Sonko, by contrast, has built much of his political identity around economic nationalism and resistance to what he describes as externally imposed economic models.
That ideological divide now sits inside the highest levels of state power. Although Sonko publicly said he would not use the Speaker’s office “to fight against anyone,” analysts say his new position gives him considerable leverage over the president’s legislative agenda. As Speaker, he can influence parliamentary procedures, shape legislative priorities, and complicate government efforts if relations deteriorate further.
President Faye also faces constitutional limitations. Under Senegalese law, he cannot dissolve parliament until at least two years after the last legislative elections, meaning the current National Assembly remains protected until later this year. That restriction significantly narrows the president’s options if tensions with Sonko escalate.
The situation creates an unusual political structure in which the president and parliamentary Speaker emerge from the same ruling movement but appear increasingly divided over governance, economic direction, and control of the political future of Pastef itself.
Sonko’s continued popularity adds another layer of complexity. The 51-year-old politician retains massive support among young Senegalese voters, many of whom still see him as the driving force behind the political changes that brought Pastef to power. His political brand was built through years of confrontation with the establishment, first against former President Macky Sall and now increasingly against decisions taken within his own administration.
Even after his dismissal, Sonko signalled that he has no intention of retreating from national politics. He described Pastef as remaining open to “responsible discussion” while also making clear that his political role was far from over.
The crisis now raises broader questions about Senegal’s political stability at a delicate economic moment. The country is preparing for expected offshore oil and gas revenues while simultaneously confronting debt pressures, inflation concerns, and public expectations for rapid economic improvement after the 2024 political transition.
What began as internal disagreements between two allies has evolved into a test of how Senegal’s young administration manages competing centres of power within its own political movement. The outcome could shape not only the future of President Faye and Ousmane Sonko, but also the direction of one of West Africa’s most closely watched democracies.