In a dramatic turn of events, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye abruptly terminated the mandate of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Friday evening, shattering the delicate balance that had brought them both to power following the February 2024 presidential election. The decision, announced on national television by the presidential secretary-general Oumar Samba Ba, stated that the President had relieved Mr. Ousmane Sonko of his duties as Prime Minister, and consequently, all ministers and junior ministers in the outgoing government, with the former cabinet members now tasked with handling only routine matters until a new administration is formed.

This sudden move marks the end of a political alliance forged in opposition to former President Macky Sall, whose final years in office were characterized by a fierce standoff with Ousmane Sonko’s camp. After being barred from running in the presidential election due to a defamation conviction that stripped him of his civic rights, the former mayor of Ziguinchor rallied behind Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who ultimately secured the presidency with Sonko’s decisive support.

Rising tensions fuel leadership clash

Since assuming office in Dakar, relations between the two leaders had steadily deteriorated, fueled by competing power centers and disagreements over governance. Ousmane Sonko, a prominent figure among Senegal’s youth who rallied behind his nationalist and pan-Africanist rhetoric, continued to shape national politics, leaving President Faye in a precarious position—particularly as many activists still viewed Sonko as the true architect of the political shift.

The strain intensified after the November 2024 legislative elections, which saw the ruling party secure a landslide victory, largely buoyed by Sonko’s enduring popularity. Recent incidents in Dakar had exposed widening rifts between the presidency and the prime minister’s office, fueling speculation that a split was inevitable.

Minutes after the announcement of his dismissal, Ousmane Sonko took to Facebook with a cryptic post: “Alhamdoulillah. Tonight, I will sleep soundly in Keur Gorgui,” a reference to his residence in a Dakar neighborhood. Soon after, social media videos showed dozens of supporters gathering outside his home, chanting his name in defiance.

Parliamentary majority faces unprecedented test

The president’s decision has plunged Senegal into a period of profound political uncertainty, with Sonko’s camp wielding significant influence in the National Assembly. The ruling party’s parliamentary dominance risks turning this personal rift into a full-blown institutional confrontation, especially as the former prime minister remains one of the country’s most popular political figures.

The swift rise of the Faye-Sonko duo stemmed from a shared rejection of the ruling elite, criticism of ties with France, and a pledge to overhaul Senegal’s political landscape. For months, their movement energized urban youth, who were galvanized by Sonko’s fiery calls for systemic change.

By removing the man who once served as his political mentor, President Faye now faces the prospect of alienating a loyal base whose allegiance remains deeply tied to the former premier. In Dakar, the looming reshuffle at the top of the state is already stoking political unrest in a country where institutional stability had, until now, weathered years of successive crises.