Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismissed Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government on Friday, marking a dramatic rupture between two former allies whose partnership had brought them to power in the 2024 election.
A decree read on state television by a presidential aide announced that Sonko’s duties had ended and that all ministers and secretaries of state were dismissed, with the outgoing administration remaining in charge of day-to-day affairs until a new government is formed.
The move comes as Senegal faces mounting economic pressure and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund over a suspended $1.8bn lending programme.
The split follows months of escalating tensions between Faye and Sonko, once united under the ruling Pastef party.
Sonko, a popular figure among young Senegalese voters, had supported Faye’s presidential campaign after being barred from contesting the 2024 election because of a defamation conviction.
Their alliance was symbolised by the slogan “Diomaye is Sonko, Sonko is Diomaye,” helping them defeat former President Macky Sall after both men were released from prison just days before the vote.
Relations between the pair later deteriorated publicly, with Sonko criticising Faye’s handling of the debt crisis and accusing him of weak leadership.
Faye reportedly objected to what he viewed as Sonko’s growing personal influence within Pastef.
Following his dismissal, Sonko wrote on social media that he would “sleep with a light heart”.
Late on Tuesday, several hundred students gathered in Dakar in support of the former prime minister.
The political upheaval risks complicating Senegal’s efforts to secure renewed IMF support.
The IMF froze its lending programme after the discovery of hidden debt accumulated under the previous administration, pushing Senegal’s debt burden to 132 percent of gross domestic product by the end of 2024.
Earlier on Friday, Finance Minister Cheikh Diba told parliament that talks with the IMF were expected to resume during the week of June 8, with hopes of reaching key agreements before the end of June.
Pastef’s dominance in the National Assembly could further complicate governance and the passage of reforms needed for a new IMF agreement.
Last month, lawmakers approved electoral code changes that could allow Sonko to run for president in 2029.