President Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal has dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government following months of escalating tensions, deepening the West African nation’s political and economic crisis.

The unexpected move was announced on state television through a decree read by presidential advisor Oumar Samba Ba, who stated that Mr. Faye “has terminated Ousmane Sonko’s duties… and, as a result, those of all ministers and state secretaries serving in the government.”

Senegal now faces an unusual situation where the president owes much of his position to the very prime minister he has removed. Sonko, who was widely expected to run for president in 2024, was barred from the race due to a prior defamation conviction.

Relations between Faye and Sonko, once mentor and protégé, have deteriorated sharply in recent months. The divide has raised concerns about the stability of the Pastef party, which won a landslide victory in the March 2024 elections on promises of sweeping political reforms and combating corruption.

Despite Sonko’s immense popularity, particularly among disillusioned youth, President Faye holds the constitutional authority to dismiss the prime minister through a simple decree. The decision underscores the shifting dynamics within Senegal’s leadership.

Sonko’s influence stems from his fiery panafricanist rhetoric and uncompromising stance against former colonial power France, which resonated deeply with voters. However, his recent public criticism of Faye’s leadership has strained their relationship beyond repair.

In an impassioned address to party supporters in early July, Sonko accused the president of failing to defend him against mounting opposition, labeling it a “lack of leadership.”