What was once hailed as a groundbreaking partnership in Francophone Sub-Saharan Africa has, in the case of Senegal, proven too volatile to endure. The powerful alliance between Ousmane Sonko, the mentor, and Bassirou Diomaye Faye, his protégé and a fierce opponent of former President Macky Sall, initially formed for the 2024 presidential election, ultimately fractured into a public dispute, culminating dramatically on the night of May 22, 2026.
Indeed, on Friday, May 22, just before 10 PM, citizens across Senegal were taken by surprise. A brief address was broadcast by the Radiotélévision sénégalaise (RTS) directly from the Presidential Palace in Dakar. Oumar Samba Ba, the Secretary-General of the Presidency, announced the immediate dismissal of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko. Concurrently, every member of the government was relieved of their duties.
“By decree n°2026-1128 of May 22, 2026, the President of the Republic, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has terminated the functions of Ousmane Sonko as Prime Minister, and consequently, those of the ministers and secretaries of state, members of the government. The outgoing government members are tasked with managing current affairs,” Oumar Samba Ba stated unequivocally.
Upon learning of his removal, Ousmane Sonko promptly took to Facebook, posting a succinct reaction: “Tonight, I will sleep with a light heart.”
Only a few hours prior, during a session at the National Assembly, Sonko had responded to queries from deputies with a telling statement: “I am not a Prime Minister who obeys blindly and assents to everything.”
It is worth noting that political tensions had been visibly escalating over recent months between the two executive leaders, who came to power together in 2024. Their disagreements had become increasingly public. For instance, just weeks earlier, during a press briefing with national media, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye had indicated that he reserved the right to “terminate his Prime Minister’s functions should he lose confidence in him.” The symbolic Rubicon was clearly crossed that evening.
The crucial question now remains: how will the political landscape in Senegal evolve? The next significant political milestones are not anticipated until 2027 for local elections, followed by the presidential election in 2029.
