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Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Monday named a new government that excludes members of the party led by his former ally and ex-prime minister Ousmane Sonko.
The announcement was made in a live television address less than two weeks after Faye dismissed Sonko as prime minister and dissolved the cabinet following disagreements over governance and the country’s struggling economy.
Sonko, a prominent political figure and leader of the Pastef party, was subsequently elected speaker of parliament by his supporters in a vote boycotted by the opposition, deepening the political tensions.
Although Sonko remains the leader of Pastef, which he founded in 2014 and which still holds a parliamentary majority, he confirmed that the party would not participate in the new cabinet following what he described as unresolved differences with the president after lengthy discussions.
“Some points of agreement were indeed confirmed, but also, above all, points of disagreement,” Sonko said in a statement on social media.
Faye on Monday appointed senior economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lo as prime minister, saying his expertise would help address Senegal’s mounting debt challenges.
Lo later announced a 30-member cabinet made up entirely of non-Pastef figures, marking a sharp departure from the previous administration dominated by the party.
Sonko, in a statement shared on social media, said there were both points of agreement and disagreement in his discussions with the president, but no consensus on cabinet participation was reached.
Faye had appointed Sonko as prime minister in April 2024 shortly after winning the presidency, a position Sonko was widely expected to contest had he not been barred due to a defamation conviction.
Tensions between both men reportedly escalated in recent months, with Sonko accusing Faye of weak leadership, while the president called for a less personality-driven political structure within the ruling party.
The latest cabinet reshuffle showcases growing divisions within Senegal’s leadership as the government navigates economic pressures and negotiations with international lenders.
