President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has formed a new government without representation from the ruling Patriotic Senegalese for Work, Ethics and Fraternity (PASTEF) party, led by former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, following a disagreement over ministerial appointments.

The announcement comes just 12 days after President Faye dismissed Sonko, who was subsequently elected President of the National Assembly. The move follows months of escalating tensions between the two leaders, casting uncertainty over the country’s political stability amid an ongoing financial crisis.

Sonko was replaced by Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô, who unveiled a 30-member cabinet list notably excluding several key figures from the ruling PASTEF party who had previously held ministerial positions.

In a statement released shortly before the government announcement, Sonko confirmed that PASTEF would not participate in the new administration. The communiqué highlighted ‘disagreements’ between Sonko and President Faye regarding the role and representation of the majority party in the executive structure.

‘During a lengthy meeting with the President, while some convergences were identified, significant disagreements persisted, particularly concerning the positioning of the majority party within the government,’ the statement read. ‘Following consultations with party leadership, new proposals were submitted to the President, but no favorable response was received.’

The communiqué concluded with a decisive statement: ‘Consequently, PASTEF – Les Patriotes will not participate in the next government and will not be represented by any ministers.’

This political rift emerges as Senegal grapples with severe economic challenges, exacerbated by the revelation in 2024 of underreported debt by the previous administration. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has paused a $1.8 billion loan program, pushing the country’s debt to 132% of its gross domestic product by the end of 2024. The Finance Minister has indicated that discussions with the IMF will resume next week, with hopes of reaching a critical agreement by June 30.