In a public statement released on June 1, 2026, the PASTEF-Les Patriotes party, under the leadership of Ousmane Sonko, confirmed its decision not to join the new government assembled by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. The party articulated that it had identified disagreements with the head of state concerning the organization of the executive branch and clarified that none of its official members would be represented in the cabinet.

Notwithstanding PASTEF’s position, the government, now headed by Prime Minister Ahmadou Al-Aminou Lo, includes several prominent figures. These individuals are widely recognized in Senegalese political discourse for their strong ties to either the broader PASTEF movement or the inner circles surrounding its influential leader, Ousmane Sonko.

key sonko-aligned figures in the new cabinet

Among the recently appointed ministers, several are publicly identified as being aligned with the political vision championed by Ousmane Sonko and Bassirou Diomaye Faye during the pivotal 2024 presidential election. Notable appointments include Yankhoba Diémé, who assumes the portfolio of Minister of Armed Forces; Cheikh Tidiane Dièye, now Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation; Ibrahim Sy, appointed Minister of Health and Public Hygiene; Marie Angélique Mame Selbe Diouf, taking on the role of Minister of Family and Solidarities; and Déthié Fall, who has been named Minister of Infrastructures.

These individuals are generally perceived as integral members of the presidential camp or as part of the strategic political alliances that were instrumental in propelling Bassirou Diomaye Faye to victory.

Conversely, other members of the government, such as Cheikh Diba, Cheikh Niang, and Boubacar Camara, are largely viewed as technocratic experts or independent political personalities. Their professional trajectories do not indicate a direct partisan affiliation with PASTEF.