Faye Forms New Senegal Government as Sonko’s Pastef Party Stays Out

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has unveiled a new Senegalese cabinet without members of Pastef, the political party headed by his former mentor and recently dismissed prime minister, Ousmane Sonko.

The announcement, made during a live television broadcast on Monday, follows Faye’s decision earlier this month to remove Sonko from office and dissolve the cabinet amid growing political and policy disagreements.

The fallout has fuelled a broader political standoff, especially after Sonko was elected Speaker of Parliament by lawmakers aligned with him in a session boycotted by opposition parties.

Despite the split, Sonko continues to wield significant influence as leader of Pastef, which holds an overwhelming majority of seats in Senegal’s parliament.

Faye named veteran economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Mohamed Lo as the country’s new prime minister, saying he possesses the experience needed to tackle Senegal’s debt and economic difficulties.

Lo subsequently announced a cabinet of 30 ministers, none of whom belong to Pastef.

Explaining his party’s absence from the new administration, Sonko said discussions with Faye had revealed major differences.

“Some points of agreement were indeed confirmed, but also, above all, points of disagreement,” he stated on social media.

Faye had elevated Sonko to the premiership shortly after taking office in April 2024. Many analysts believed Sonko could have won the presidency himself had he not been excluded from the race due to a defamation conviction.

A popular figure among young voters, Sonko rose to prominence through his opposition to former President Macky Sall and his advocacy for greater African self-reliance.

Relations between the two leaders have deteriorated steadily. In July, Sonko accused Faye of a “failure of leadership,” while the president recently called for the ruling party to be “depersonalised” rather than centred around a single political figure.

The dispute has also exposed policy divisions, particularly over economic management, with Faye favouring engagement with the IMF and Sonko pushing for a more sovereign economic strategy.

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