Senegal prime minister sonko removed amid political unrest

The president of Senegal, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, made a decisive move on Friday by dismissing Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolving the government, deepening the political turmoil in the debt-stricken West African nation.

State television broadcasted the announcement through a decree read by presidential advisor Oumar Samba Ba, who stated that Faye had terminated Sonko’s duties and, consequently, those of all ministers and state secretaries in the government.

This abrupt decision comes at a critical juncture for Senegal, where the president owes much of his political rise to his former protégé, Sonko. Had it not been for a defamation conviction that barred Sonko from running in the 2024 presidential election, he would likely have secured the presidency himself.

The relationship between the two leaders, once close allies, has frayed in recent months, marked by growing distrust and diverging visions for the country’s future.

From allies to adversaries: the unraveling of a political alliance

The Pastef party, led by both Faye and Sonko, won a landslide victory in the March 2024 elections on promises of sweeping political reforms, vowing to combat corruption and mismanagement of public affairs.

Yet, despite Sonko’s widespread popularity—particularly among Senegal’s disillusioned youth—Faye, as president, holds the ultimate authority to reshuffle the government at will.

Sonko’s fiery rhetoric, steeped in panafricanism and his uncompromising stance against France, resonated deeply with voters, making him a formidable figure in Senegalese politics.

However, tensions reached a boiling point in early July when Sonko publicly accused Faye of failing to provide adequate support against his critics, labeling it a ‘lack of leadership’.