Senegal’s political earthquake: what lies behind Sonko’s dismissal

The terse official statement concealed a seismic political shift at the heart of Senegal’s leadership. Less than two years after their historic 2024 victory, the duo that embodied a generation’s aspirations has publicly fractured. With it, the most compelling political narrative Senegal has witnessed since the 2000 transition may be unraveling.

The foundation of Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s ascent rested on an ironclad promise of unwavering loyalty. « Diomaye moy Sonko »—Sonko is Diomaye, and Diomaye is Sonko—echoed through the streets of Dakar, Ziguinchor, and Thiès as young Senegalese chanted their unity.

From campaign slogan to political trap

The fracture didn’t materialize overnight. Tensions simmered beneath the surface since the duo assumed power in April 2024. At the time, Diomaye Faye wasn’t the original choice of the Pastef party. After Sonko was barred from running due to a defamation conviction, his loyal lieutenant stepped in to carry the party’s banner.

The campaign rallying cry—« Diomaye moy Sonko »—served as an electoral bridge. Voters were told that supporting Faye meant supporting Sonko. The strategy proved devastatingly effective: buoyed by his mentor’s popularity, Diomaye Faye won outright in the first round with nearly 54% of the vote.

A power struggle years in the making

Officially, no explanation was given for Sonko’s dismissal. Yet in Dakar, few were surprised. For months, signs of discord had mounted between the two men.

The president grew frustrated with what he saw as his prime minister’s excessive centralization of power and suffocating media presence. In early May, Diomaye Faye issued a televised warning: « As long as he remains Prime Minister, it’s because he has my confidence. When that changes, there will be a new Prime Minister. »

Sonko, meanwhile, showed no signs of backing down. Still the unchallenged leader of the Pastef, whose majority in the National Assembly was secured in November 2024, he continued to speak to grassroots supporters as the true steward of the political project born in opposition to Macky Sall.

Within the corridors of power, two factions crystallized: the legalists, aligned with the president and eager to establish an autonomous presidency, and the Sonko loyalists, convinced that Diomaye Faye was merely a temporary custodian of the people’s mandate.

By late 2025, the president began consolidating his own political machinery around the « Diomaye Président » movement, steadily sidelining Sonko’s inner circle. In response, Sonko’s camp escalated public warnings, accusing the administration of drifting from the Pastef’s original promises.

The electoral reform passed in late April—potentially paving the way for Sonko’s 2029 candidacy—acted as a catalyst. In Dakar, many saw it as the unofficial launch of a presidential campaign.

Economic fractures deepen the divide

The most profound disagreement, however, centered on economic management. Negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) exposed stark divisions between the two leaders.

Upon taking office, the new administration uncovered the true scale of Senegal’s debt burden and accused former President Macky Sall of concealing part of the public debt. The IMF subsequently suspended a $1.8 billion program, forcing the government into delicate negotiations with international lenders.

Within the presidential circle, some criticized Sonko for adopting a radical stance toward IMF demands, particularly regarding budget reforms and energy subsidy cuts. Meanwhile, Sonko’s allies accused the president’s camp of abandoning the Pastef’s sovereign and social promises.

The Finance Minister, Cheikh Diba, reportedly alerted the executive to the rising cost of energy subsidies amid soaring debt levels. Observers in Dakar noted that disagreements over potential fuel price hikes had paralyzed government operations.

With debt now equivalent to 132% of GDP—among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa, per IMF figures—Senegal faces mounting pressure.

The final straw

Just hours before his dismissal, Sonko delivered a combative speech in the National Assembly. When questioned about a recent law toughening penalties for homosexuality, he condemned what he called the « tyranny » of Western powers seeking to « impose » their values on Senegal.

Sonko rejected any moratorium on the law, framing it as a diktat from abroad. The speech drew applause from Pastef lawmakers but reignited concerns among Senegal’s Western partners amid efforts to restore financial credibility with the IMF. In this volatile climate, Diomaye Faye appears to have chosen a decisive power grab.

A charged night in Dakar

The moment the presidential decree was announced, social media erupted. Hundreds of Sonko’s supporters gathered outside his home in Keur Gorgui, chanting his name and denouncing what they called a betrayal.

Around midnight, the former Prime Minister arrived at his residence, where hundreds of backers had already assembled. Some shouted slogans, others condemned the dismissal as a treason. Within minutes, Senegal’s social media landscape became a sounding board for a rupture many had seen coming for months.

« No Prime Minister has ever defied a president like Sonko. His dismissal was inevitable, » wrote Arthur Banga, an Ivorian political scientist, on social media.

Reactions poured in swiftly. Former Dakar Mayor Barthélémy Dias called for calm while decrying a grave institutional crisis. Franco-Spanish lawyer Juan Branco, a longtime Sonko ally from their opposition days, labeled it « the greatest betrayal in Senegalese history ».

The next morning’s headlines reflected the shock. One Dakar daily declared « The Fracture ». Another proclaimed « Diomaye Takes Power ». Elsewhere, front pages announced « Goodbye to the Duo » or « War at the Summit ».

Diplomats in Dakar now watch the situation with growing unease. The rupture transcends personal egos—it marks the end of the fragile balance that enabled the 2024 shift after years of turmoil under Macky Sall, marked by deadly protests, mass arrests, and deep distrust in institutions.

An unsustainable duality

The current crisis reveals an inherent contradiction: Could Senegal’s government ever function with two power centers? On one side, Bassirou Diomaye Faye held constitutional legitimacy as head of state. On the other, Ousmane Sonko wielded immense militant legitimacy, particularly among urban youth and Pastef cadres. For two years, the regime tried to reconcile these figures. But in Senegal, where the presidency has historically concentrated political authority, duality was always unsustainable.

In May 2026, Diomaye Faye publicly warned that power risked descending into « personal ambition ». Weeks later, he reiterated that as president, he alone held the constitutional authority to appoint—and dismiss—his Prime Minister. Friday evening, he acted.

The split opens a high-stakes chapter. If Sonko retains control of the Pastef and parliamentary majority, Diomaye Faye retains the state apparatus and presidency. Between them, the battle for 2029 may have just begun. Yet for many Senegalese, the greater concern lies elsewhere: mass youth unemployment, soaring living costs, record debt, and the unfulfilled promises of rupture. Beneath the clash of ambitions, many fear the hope born from the 2024 shift may dissolve in the fractures of power.

The president must now appoint a new Prime Minister, subject to parliamentary approval within three months.