The partnership between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, once hailed as a beacon of hope for Senegal, has collapsed after months of simmering tensions. Faye’s decision to dismiss Sonko on Friday has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, highlighting the fragility of the coalition that propelled them to power in the March 2024 elections. With Sonko securing 54% of the vote in the first round, he had been instrumental in securing Faye’s victory, despite being barred from running himself due to a defamation conviction that rendered him ineligible.

At the height of their alliance, the two leaders projected a united front, with the slogan ‘Diomaye moy Sonko, Sonko doy Diomaye’—meaning ‘Diomaye is Sonko, Sonko is Diomaye’—resonating strongly with the public. Their release from prison just 10 days before taking office had symbolized a decisive break from decades of political instability and social unrest. The promise of systemic change and an end to corruption initially earned the Pastef party an unprecedented honeymoon period with the electorate. That period has now come to an abrupt end.

The once-cohesive leadership team has unraveled amid growing rivalry, particularly as both men eye the 2029 presidential race. Tensions escalated over competing visions for tackling Senegal’s mounting debt crisis—the second-highest in sub-Saharan Africa at 132% of GDP—inherited from previous administrations. Disagreements over fiscal policy have stalled key reforms, leaving the government gridlocked and public expectations unmet.

2029 presidential ambitions fuel power struggle

The dismissal of Ousmane Sonko has triggered an unprecedented political crisis. President Faye now faces the daunting task of governing without the backing of the party Sonko still leads. The Pastef party, which remains under Sonko’s unchallenged leadership, holds a commanding majority in the National Assembly with 130 out of 165 seats. Even as he steps down, Sonko remains the true architect of the 2024 election victory, his influence undiminished.

“Sonko commands deep loyalty among young voters and embodies a clear vision of sovereignty, rejecting the corruption and unconstitutional power grabs seen elsewhere in Africa,” noted Pascal Boniface, director of the Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS), following a debate with Sonko in Dakar last April. “He is not anti-French; he advocates for Senegalese sovereignty and calls for reimagining the bilateral relationship on more equitable terms,” Boniface emphasized in a subsequent analysis.