The Senegalese political landscape has just experienced a major upheaval. On Friday, May 22, 2026, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed his Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, thereby dissolving the government. The official announcement was made live on national television by Oumar Samba Ba, Secretary General of the Presidency.

The beginnings of a public clash

This high-profile dismissal came just hours after Ousmane Sonko addressed the National Assembly. Before the members of parliament, the now former Prime Minister displayed a very clear stance of independence:

"I am not a Prime Minister who blindly obeys and agrees to everything."

During that same session, he also publicly admitted the existence of "disagreements" with the head of state.

Ousmane Sonko's reaction and the fervor of his supporters

The former head of government's response was swift. He chose to break his silence via his Facebook page with a concise but meaningful message:

"Tonight, I will sleep with a light heart in the Keur Gorgui neighborhood" (the Dakar neighborhood where his private residence is located).

This declaration immediately ignited the political debate. As soon as the presidential decree was announced, hundreds of supporters gathered outside his home to show their support, chanting songs in praise of the PASTEF leader. Several party officials also publicly expressed their loyalty to Sonko during the night.

The reasons for the divorce: Heading towards 2029

The rift between the two figures of the former ruling party crystallized over the months, fueled by competing ambitions for the 2029 presidential election:

1. Sonko's ambitions: The PASTEF leader regularly criticized President Faye for lacking firmness regarding guarantees of his future eligibility. A rally organized in Dakar a few days earlier had even taken on the air of a show of force to launch his upcoming campaign.
2. Faye's response: For his part, the President of the Republic had begun to lay the groundwork for a separate coalition, aimed at preparing his own candidacy for a second term.

From a close-knit duo to a political duel: A recap of the events

Period	Key Event	Political Situation
March 2024	Presidential election	Ineligible following a defamation conviction, Sonko propelled his second-in-command, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, to the forefront. Faye won in the first round with 54% of the vote and appointed Sonko as Prime Minister. The official slogan was: "Diomaye is Sonko."
May 2026	Dismissal and termination	After two years of working together, internal rivalries caused the partnership to break up. The slogan of unity is definitively a thing of the past.

An uncertain institutional and economic future

At the moment, the presidency has not announced any date for the appointment of a new Prime Minister or the formation of a new government.

Senegal is plunging into this new political crisis at the worst possible time. The country is going through a period of severe economic turbulence, marked by crucial and ongoing negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) , against a backdrop of increased monitoring of the national public debt.