Less than a year after being dismissed from office on May 22, 2025, former Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko has staged a remarkable political comeback by securing the presidency of Senegal’s National Assembly. His election comes on the back of strong support from his party, Pastef, despite deepening tensions with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, his former ally within the same political movement.

On Monday evening, Ahmadou Al Aminou Lô, a former senior official at the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO), was appointed Prime Minister. With Sonko now holding the second-highest position in the country, the spotlight turns to President Faye: can he push through critical reforms amid Senegal’s pressing economic challenges?

To explore this pivotal moment, The Talking Tree convened a panel of experts:

• Mamoudou Ibra Kane, journalist and author of La Troisième alternance au Sénégal : mon double regard, offering insights from the late constitutional council president Mamadou Badio Camara’s political legacy. He also leads the political movement “Demain.”
• Karine Oriot, seasoned journalist and geopolitical analyst specializing in African affairs.
• Moussa Diaw, emeritus professor of political science at Gaston Berger University in Saint-Louis, Senegal, and a leading authority on international relations.

To hear the full discussion, play the audio above.