President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Friday dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government following months of growing tensions between the two leaders.
The announcement was made on state television through a presidential decree read by presidential aide Oumar Samba Ba, who confirmed that Faye had terminated Sonko’s appointment along with the duties of all ministers and secretaries of state serving in the government.
The decision marks a major political development in Senegal, where both leaders rose to power under the banner of the Pastef party after winning the 2024 presidential election on promises of sweeping political and economic reforms.
Sonko, a popular opposition figure with strong support among Senegalese youth, was widely seen as instrumental to Faye’s electoral victory after he was barred from contesting the presidency due to a defamation conviction.
Despite Sonko’s influence and popularity, constitutional powers remain firmly with the president, who has the authority to remove the prime minister by decree.
Political observers say relations between the two leaders had deteriorated in recent months amid disagreements over governance and leadership style.
Earlier in July, Sonko publicly criticised Faye during a gathering of Pastef supporters, accusing the president of showing a “failure of leadership” by not defending him strongly enough against political opponents and critics.
The dismissal deepens uncertainty in Senegal at a time when the West African nation is grappling with economic pressures and rising debt concerns.
Neither the presidency nor Sonko’s camp immediately announced who would replace the former prime minister or when a new government would be constituted.
