Senegal plunged into deeper political turmoil as National Assembly head resigns

Senegal’s political landscape has been rocked by yet another dramatic turn of events. Just two days after Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko was abruptly dismissed, National Assembly President El Malick Ndiaye announced his resignation.

The shock resignation came as El Malick Ndiaye, a close ally of Ousmane Sonko, cited “personal reasons” in a Facebook statement. He framed his decision as a contribution to the “supreme interest of the Nation”, though he offered no further details.

This latest development follows President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s controversial decision to remove Ousmane Sonko from his post as Prime Minister. The move has sent shockwaves through the political establishment, raising serious questions about the stability of the current administration.

Sonko poised to take the speaker’s chair

The upheaval in the National Assembly has created a power vacuum, with Ousmane Sonko now a strong contender to replace Ndiaye. As the dominant figure in the parliamentary majority, Sonko’s party, Pastef, holds 130 of the 165 seats following the November 2024 legislative elections.

Ousmane Sonko, who was barred from contesting the 2024 presidential election due to a prior judicial conviction, played a pivotal role in propelling Bassirou Diomaye Faye to the presidency under the iconic campaign slogan “Diomaye Moy Sonko”.

A presidency under pressure

Tensions between President Faye and Ousmane Sonko had been simmering for months before erupting into an open rift late last week. The political instability threatens to undermine the government’s ability to implement critical reforms amid an already challenging economic climate in Senegal.

The coming days could prove decisive for the future of the Senegalese government, as the nation grapples with deepening uncertainty.