Senegal’s president terminates Ousmane Sonko’s tenure as prime minister

The Senegalese head of state, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and his entire cabinet through an official decree issued late Friday evening. The decision follows months of escalating tensions between the two leaders.

In a televised address delivered by the presidential secretary-general, Oumar Samba Ba, it was announced that “the president has terminated the functions of Mr. Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister, and consequently those of all ministers and state secretaries within the government.” The outgoing officials have been instructed to handle only “current administrative matters” until new appointments are made.

Ousmane Sonko, once a vocal opponent of former president Macky Sall (2012–2024), was barred from contesting the February 2024 presidential election due to a defamation conviction that stripped him of his civil rights. His supporters staged widespread protests against Sall’s potential bid for a third term in office.

Following Sonko’s disqualification, Bassirou Diomaye Faye emerged as his political successor. However, the relationship between the two men has since deteriorated, despite their shared victory in the 2024 election. Sonko’s considerable influence and charismatic leadership played a pivotal role in securing their electoral success.

With a strong panafricanist narrative, Sonko had galvanized Senegal’s disenchanted youth ahead of the 2024 vote and during prolonged standoffs with Macky Sall’s administration. His sudden dismissal sent ripples through the political landscape, sparking immediate reactions.

“Alhamdoulillah. Tonight, I will sleep with a light heart at the Keur Gorgui residence,” Sonko wrote in a Facebook post shortly after the announcement. Videos circulating on social media captured his supporters gathering outside his Dakar home, chanting his name in defiance.

The rift between Faye and Sonko had widened over recent months, making any prospects of reconciliation increasingly unlikely. Sonko’s party, which secured a landslide victory in the November 2024 legislative elections, now holds a dominant majority in Senegal’s National Assembly.