Senegal president forms new government without ousted PM's party

Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has formed a new government, notably excluding the party of his former Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko. The decision follows a meeting between Faye and Sonko, where significant disagreements reportedly arose regarding the place and role of Sonko's party within the executive branch.

Sonko, whose party is known as Pastef (Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics, and Fraternity), announced that despite some points of agreement, irreconcilable differences led to their decision not to participate in the new government. "After the briefing with the party's steering bodies, new proposals were presented to the President of the Republic, but they did not receive a favorable response. Consequently, Pastef will not participate in the next government nor be represented by any minister," Sonko stated.

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If well some points of agreement were confirmed, discrepancies also emerged, in particular on the place and role of the majority in the Executive Power.

The new cabinet, announced by Sonko's successor as Prime Minister, economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, comprises thirty members. Key figures retained their positions, including Cheikh Niang as Minister of African Integration, Foreign Affairs, and Senegalese Abroad, and Cheikh Diba as Minister of Economy, Finance, and Planning. This reshuffle occurs shortly after Sonko was elected President of the National Assembly, following the resignation of the previous incumbent.

The political landscape in Senegal has been marked by increasing tension between President Faye and Sonko, who came to power in 2024. Faye, who owes his presidency largely to Sonko's endorsement after Sonko was disqualified from running, had previously indicated he could dismiss his Prime Minister if trust eroded. Both leaders were released from detention in March 2024 as part of an amnesty aimed at calming protests over the postponement of elections. Faye and Sonko co-founded Pastef in 2014, a party that rapidly grew into a significant political force, largely due to Sonko's popularity among youth and his anti-establishment, anti-neocolonialism platform.

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After the briefing with the party's steering bodies, new proposals were presented to the President of the Republic, but they did not receive a favorable response. Consequently, Pastef will not participate in the next government nor be represented by any minister.