Senegal’s political crisis escalated as President Bassirou Diomaye Faye replaced Ousmane Sonko with economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as prime minister, intensifying a rift at the top of the state while parliament prepares a tense vote on Sonko’s reinstatement as lawmaker.
Senegal’s power rift deepens as Faye replaces Sonko with economist PM
Dressed in white in these photos taken at his inauguration, former central banker Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo.
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Keingna, Pascale Mahe/
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye appointed senior economist and former central banker Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as prime minister, days after abruptly dismissing his former mentor Ousmane Sonko and dissolving the government.
Lo, praised for his expertise in financial systems, takes office as Senegal grapples with a debt burden reaching 132% of GDP and a suspended $1.8 billion IMF programme.
A political rupture at the top of the state
The dismissal of Sonko — a hugely popular figure and key architect of Faye’s rise — marks the climax of months of tension between the two men.
While Faye seeks renewed talks with the IMF, Sonko advocates a sovereigntist, domestic-first economic approach, widening the ideological divide within the ruling PASTEF movement.
Parliament prepares a decisive vote
On Tuesday, lawmakers will vote on the reinstatement of Ousmane Sonko as a deputy and elect a new speaker following the resignation of his ally El Malick Ndiaye.
PASTEF’s overwhelming majority — 130 out of 165 seats — could pave the way for Sonko to take control of the National Assembly, positioning him as a counterweight to Faye.
Opposition denounces an “institutional coup”
Opposition leader Aissata Tall Sall condemned the move as an “institutional coup,” arguing that Sonko should have resigned as prime minister before reclaiming his parliamentary seat.
She urged President Faye to seek clarification from the Constitutional Council to avoid what she described as a “majority-imposed illegality.”
A future electoral showdown?
A recent reform of the electoral code now makes Sonko eligible to run for the presidency, raising the prospect of a future electoral confrontation between the once-inseparable political allies.
As Senegal navigates economic strain and institutional tension, the balance of power between Faye and Sonko appears to be shifting — and the country is watching closely.