JUST IN: Senegal: between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko, are differences now irreconcilable?
World News Update:
The following report highlights an important international development currently attracting worldwide attention.
A real plebiscite. Four days after his ouster from the post of Prime Minister by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Ousmane Sonko was triumphantly elected to the presidency of the National Assembly on Tuesday May 26. An unsurprising election, since its left-wing pan-Africanist party, Pastef, has 130 of the institution’s 165 seats. The opposition deputies had left the room in protest, judging the reinstatement of Ousmane Sonko as an MP illegal. In his inauguration speech, Ousmane Sonko promised that he would not use his new functions to carry out “personal vendettas”, after being dismissed by his former comrade. While also affirming that he would not be content with the role of spectator. “The National Assembly will not be a recording chamber. It will control the action of the government,” he recalled, posing as a defender of “popular sovereignty.” This is a “very offensive” speech, analyzes Babacar Ndiaye, research director at the Wathi think tank. “The dialogue is not broken because Ousmane Sonko is reaching out to the President of the Republic to discuss the formation of the next government. But he bluntly affirms that all this must be built on the foundation of Pastef’s program,” he underlines. To display this YouTube content, it is necessary to authorize audience measurement and advertising cookies. Accept Manage my choices An extension in your browser appears to be blocking the loading of the video player. To be able to watch this content, you must disable or uninstall it. Try again Senegal: Ousmane Sonko elected president of the National Assembly © France 24 Inevitable rupture Officialized on Friday by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the political rupture at the top of the State was expected after months of tensions between the two former allies. “Ousmane Sonko was Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s political mentor for a long time. Then he became his collaborator. I think he never completely accepted this situation and made it known every time he had the opportunity,” analyzes Alioune Tine, founder of the Afrikajom think tank. Natural candidate for Pastef (African Patriots of Senegal for Work, Ethics and Fraternity), the opposition party to Macky Sall in the 2024 presidential election, Ousmane Sonko was prevented from competing due to a legal conviction. His party then designated Bassirou Diomaye Faye as a replacement candidate and brought the duo to power. But since then the subjects of tension have multiplied, notably regarding corruption investigations targeting former officials of the Macky Sall regime (2012-2024), deemed too slow by Ousmane Sonko. Or negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concerning Senegal’s abysmal debt – more than 132% of GDP – which the former Prime Minister considers threatens the country’s economic sovereignty. Disagreements displayed in broad daylight by Ousmane Sonko, who deplored in July 2025 “a lack of authority” in the country. For his part, Bassirou Diomaye Faye officially relaunched in March 2026 the “Diomaye President” coalition, which had been dormant since his election, three years before the next presidential election. An initiative seen as distancing itself from Ousmane Sonko and Pastef. A few weeks later, he criticized the “excessive personalization” of the political project around the figure of its head of government. Ousmane Sonko for his part refutes any personal conflict. “What is at stake goes beyond individuals, it is the relationship between morality and politics,” said the new President of the National Assembly on Tuesday. New balance of power The election of the former Prime Minister at the head of the National Assembly “significantly changes the balance of power”, analyzes Saliou Ngom, professor of political science at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar (UCAD). “Ousmane Sonko was institutionally placed under the authority of the President of the Republic. This is no longer the case. As President of the National Assembly he has greater political autonomy and a strong capacity for political influence because the executive needs the National Assembly to have its texts adopted” underlines the expert. During his speech, Ousmane Sonko refuted any desire for “blockage”, saying he was open to “a responsible discussion which puts aside egos to find the ways and means of peaceful governance”. The new President of the National Assembly also congratulated his successor as Prime Minister, the economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô, whose work and skills he praised. He nevertheless regretted that Pastef was not consulted regarding this choice. “Before appointing a Prime Minister, the president had to discuss it with the majority” he said, believing that the same goes for the constitution of the government which Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô suggested would be announced in the coming days. Status quo or confrontation? “The composition of the government will be carefully scrutinized, and the presence or absence of Pastef ministers will be an important indicator as to the abilities of the two camps to find common ground” underlines Babacar Ndiaye. “Neither Ousmane Sonko nor Bassirou Diomaye Faye have any interest in a head-on confrontation which would block the institutions because both have a record to defend during the next electoral events,” continues the researcher. Saliou Ngom, for his part, considers it unlikely that the two former allies will manage to put aside their differences. “These touch on essential questions of leadership, political strategy and control of the project carried by Pastef.” And to conclude: “With the 2029 presidency as a backdrop and the installation of two distinct poles of power – the presidency on one side and the National Assembly on the other – the logic of political competition seems to be underway.”
What Happens Next:
Analysts believe this development may influence future diplomatic, political, or economic discussions internationally.
Political and economic analysts are paying close attention to the potential consequences of these events.
Readers are encouraged to monitor future developments as the situation evolves.
Source: This article was originally published by France 24 – Infos, news & actualités – L'information internationale en direct and adapted for our international English-speaking audience.
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