Dakar, May 23, 2026 — President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal has dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, a move announced Friday evening through a televised statement delivered by the Secretary-General of the Presidency, Oumar Samba Ba.

The president declared that he had “terminated the functions of Mr. Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister, and consequently those of the ministers and secretaries of state in the government.” The outgoing government members have been tasked with handling current affairs until further notice. No details were provided regarding the appointment of a new prime minister.

Rising tensions between president and prime minister

Since President Faye took office in April 2024, tensions between him and Prime Minister Sonko had steadily escalated. Sonko, once a mentor to the president, had wielded significant influence, contributing to the duo’s rise to power.

Ousmane Sonko, a prominent opposition figure against former President Macky Sall, was barred from running in the 2024 presidential election after a defamation conviction stripped him of civil rights. He had then endorsed Bassirou Diomaye Faye as his replacement in the race.

With a panafricanist rhetoric, Sonko had ignited passionate support among Senegal’s disillusioned youth ahead of the election. Months of fierce confrontation with Macky Sall’s administration followed, marked by harsh crackdowns on protests against the possibility of a third term for the former president.

Following their release from prison under an amnesty law aimed at easing years of political strife, the two men had campaigned under the slogan “Diomaye Moy Sonko” — “Diomaye is Sonko” in Wolof — symbolizing their unity to the electorate.

A spontaneous gathering

Sonko took to Facebook shortly after the announcement, expressing relief: “Alhamdoulillah. Tonight, I will sleep peacefully at my home in Keur Gorgui,” a district in Dakar where he resides.

Hundreds of his supporters flocked to his residence Friday evening, cheering the news of his dismissal, according to eyewitness reports.

Earlier that day, the outgoing prime minister had criticized the “tyranny” of the West, accusing it of attempting to “impose homosexuality on the rest of the world” during a parliamentary session. This statement came weeks after Senegal, a predominantly Muslim West African nation, passed a law toughening penalties for same-sex relations.

Government reshuffle looms

Tensions between the head of state and government had become increasingly public in recent months, making their continued collaboration appear untenable.

In early May, President Faye had criticized what he described as an “excessive personalization” of power by the prime minister within their party. “As long as he remains Prime Minister, it is because he enjoys my confidence. When that is no longer the case, there will be a new Prime Minister,” the president had declared in a televised interview.

Sonko’s party dominates Senegal’s National Assembly after securing a landslide victory in the November 2024 legislative elections. Weeks ago, parliament paved the way for Sonko’s potential 2029 presidential bid by adopting an electoral code reform, signed into law by the president. The opposition condemned the move as a law tailored for Sonko.

In July 2025, Senegal’s Supreme Court rejected a challenge by Sonko — then Prime Minister since April 2024 — against his conviction, reigniting debates over his eligibility. Despite this, Sonko was elected a deputy in the November 2024 legislative elections and later relinquished his mandate to remain Prime Minister. His party argues this makes him eligible to run in 2029. Local elections are scheduled for 2027, followed by a presidential election in 2029.

While President Faye lacks the same level of popular enthusiasm as Sonko, the “Diomaye Président” movement has bolstered his support over recent months, hinting at a potential bid for the 2029 presidency.

The new administration has faced significant economic challenges, inheriting a colossal debt from the previous government amounting to 132% of GDP, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This makes Senegal the second most indebted country in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2024, the opposition-led government accused the administration of former President Macky Sall of concealing the true state of public finances, prompting the IMF to suspend a $1.8 billion aid program.