Senegal President Faye Fires PM Sonko After Months of Bitter Power Struggle

Senegal has plunged deeper into political uncertainty after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government, ending months of growing tensions between the two leaders who once campaigned side by side.

The announcement was made Friday night on state television through a presidential decree read by presidential aide Oumar Samba Ba.

The decree stated that President Faye had terminated Sonko’s duties as prime minister, along with those of the ministers and secretaries of state serving in the government. No replacement prime minister was immediately named.

Shortly after his dismissal, Sonko reacted defiantly on Facebook, writing: “Alhamdulillah (praise be to God). Tonight I will sleep soundly in the Keur Gorgui neighbourhood,” referring to his district in Dakar. He later returned home to cheering supporters who gathered in large numbers to welcome him.

The political rupture marks a dramatic breakdown between two men whose alliance swept Senegal’s 2024 elections.

Faye became president largely because Sonko, the country’s most influential opposition figure at the time, was barred from contesting the election due to a defamation conviction. Many analysts believed Sonko would likely have won the presidency himself had he been allowed to run.

Although Sonko played a decisive role in bringing Faye to power, Senegal’s constitution grants the president ultimate authority, including the power to remove the prime minister by decree.

Their once-close relationship began deteriorating months ago amid disputes over leadership style, political influence and control of the ruling Pastef party.

Sonko, known for his charismatic and confrontational politics, increasingly appeared to overshadow President Faye in public life, fueling speculation about rivalry at the top of government.

In May, President Faye publicly criticised what he called Sonko’s “excessive personalisation” of the ruling party, signalling growing frustration with the prime minister’s dominant political presence.

During a televised interview, Faye warned that Sonko remained in office only because he retained presidential confidence, adding that a new prime minister would be appointed if that confidence disappeared.

Sonko responded by accusing the president of weak leadership and failing to defend him against political attacks. The public exchanges exposed deep divisions within the administration and raised doubts about the stability of the governing coalition.

The dismissal also came just hours after Sonko reignited controversy with strong comments against Western criticism of Senegal’s anti-LGBTQ laws.

Following the passage of legislation imposing tougher penalties for same-sex relations, Sonko condemned what he described as attempts by Western countries to force homosexuality onto African societies.

He specifically criticised reactions from France and other Western nations, declaring that Senegal would not accept “lessons” from countries that had adopted such social policies.

Sonko’s nationalist and pan-African rhetoric has made him hugely popular among many young Senegalese voters, especially those frustrated by unemployment, economic hardship and lingering French influence in the region.

His outspoken style and anti-establishment message helped propel the Pastef movement to power. However, the split between Faye and Sonko now threatens the unity of a government that had promised sweeping reforms, anti-corruption measures and economic recovery.

Since taking office in 2024, the administration has struggled with a severe financial crisis inherited from the previous government.

According to the International Monetary Fund, Senegal’s debt has climbed to around 132 percent of gross domestic product, making it one of the most indebted countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The political fallout from Sonko’s dismissal is expected to intensify uncertainty in a country once viewed as one of West Africa’s most stable democracies.