Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has announced a new government lineup, featuring several figures from the Pastef party of Ousmane Sonko—despite Sonko’s party declaring it would not participate in the administration.
The announcement follows President Faye’s decision to dismiss Ousmane Sonko, his former ally and fellow Pastef member, who now serves as Speaker of the National Assembly. The shake-up occurred just ten days before the new cabinet was unveiled.
The political tensions have cast a shadow over the country, already grappling with a severe economic downturn. Sonko’s replacement, Prime Minister Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lô, presented a 30-member cabinet list that notably excluded several prominent Pastef officials from the previous administration.
Minutes before the announcement, Sonko publicly stated that his party would not join the new government, as confirmed in a statement posted on his social media platforms.
Divisions laid bare
“This morning, a lengthy meeting took place between the President and myself as party leader, where areas of agreement were identified, but significant disagreements also surfaced—particularly regarding the role of the majority within the executive structure,” the statement read.
“Following discussions with party leadership, new proposals were submitted to the President, yet no favorable response was received. Consequently, PASTEF – Les Patriotes will not participate in the next government and will not be represented by any ministers,” the statement concluded.
Despite the boycott, some lesser-known Pastef members secured positions in the new cabinet, including Moussa Bala Fofana as Minister of Urban Planning and Yankhoba Diémé as Minister of Armed Forces.
President Faye retained several key ministers from the previous administration, such as Cheikh Diba (Finance), Moustapha Mamba Guirassy (Education), and Cheikh Tidiane Dièye (Sanitation).
The new government was finalized after “standard consultations with all stakeholders,” including Pastef leader Ousmane Sonko, Prime Minister Amadou Al Aminou Lô announced. “The President wishes to emphasize that, in all circumstances, a statesman must prioritize the interests of the nation and the Republic above partisan considerations,” he stated during the live broadcast on the national channel, RTS.
A turning point in relations
This development marks a decisive shift after years of close collaboration between Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Ousmane Sonko—longtime allies who jointly won the March 2024 presidential election under the slogan “Sonko mooy Diomaye” (Sonko is Diomaye in Wolof).
Tensions between the two have intensified in recent months, culminating in their public rift after Sonko’s dismissal at the end of May. Sonko, the party’s undisputed leader and a dominant figure in the National Assembly, was subsequently elected Speaker of Parliament.
Sonko, barred from running in the 2024 election due to a defamation conviction, had backed Faye as his replacement. However, disagreements surfaced early, with Sonko publicly criticizing what he described as a “lack of authority” in the government in July 2025. In early May, President Faye accused his former Prime Minister of “excessive personalization” within the ruling party.
